Gold Demona
by Whimsy Floof
Summary: ::GARGOYLES Crossover:: It's not easy being a gargoyle in the country of New Liberty, especially since being a gargoyle is illegal. The border is locked and nobody can get out.
1. Prologue

Gold Demona

**Gold Demona**

Prologue

(Concerning Gargoyles…)

Gargoyles are mysterious creatures. At night, they are flesh and blood like all other creatures. And when the sun is up during the day, they are not much more than stone statues. No one knows why this is so, or how this happens. It simply does. Some scientists say that it is because their skin reacts to the sunlight and turns the entire body to stone. However, this does not explain how gargoyles can turn to stone underground where there is no sunlight. The most popular explanation is that they are simply beings of magic, destined to guard over wherever it is that they happen to live. You may find this hard to believe today, but once they were thought to be nothing more than an urban myth. There were so few gargoyles in the world that those that did know about them, even the gargoyles themselves, feared that they would soon become extinct.

In this day and age, of course, the existence of gargoyles is very much common knowledge. It is now no stranger than the existence of cats and dogs. The year 2050, the half-point of the century, brought promise for the future. People were slowly starting to realize the myth to be reality. Later in the century, gargoyles were acknowledged as an intelligent race. There was even an amendment to the United States Constitution allowing gargoyles to have the same equal rights as humans, which included things like education, free speech, and the right to work a minimum wage job like every other American.

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(Of Science and Sorcery…)

As the century passed, the art of sorcery had come back into existence. Some used it for selfish reasons, often involving criminal activities. Others used it to perform magic shows, rendering the old-fashioned illusionist obsolete. But the primary reason for the resurrection of this arcane art was to meld it with scientific study to better the survival of both human and gargoyle alike.

Such studies have brought forth great new inventions, such as a new metal alloy that allows gargoyles to remain flesh during the day. Unfortunately, this alloy is extremely difficult and expensive to manufacture, so it is strictly limited to the production of badges for gargoyles in emergency units, such as fire fighters and police, as it would be convenient for the hero to not turn to stone in the middle of rescuing a civilian or pursuing a criminal. And as far as police forces, this is not limited to just the local cops that patrol the streets, but also up to the forces of the FBI and Interpol.

Many of the job-seeking gargoyles sought positions such as these, not only to get a chance to see the sun for the first time, but also because it is in their nature to "serve and protect". Therefore a gargoyle cop is more often than not a good and honest cop.

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(In History…)

At this point in the world's view of history, the United States had become so populated, that they needed more nation to fit their people, and their neighbors to the north and south were not interested in selling any of their land for some strange reason. They ended up making a deal with Russia, who was having population problems of their own. Russia's economy at this point was so poor, that the people just couldn't live there anymore. The people who could afford to packed up what they had saved up and left the country. The US and Russia would both benefit from making this deal. The US would get new land, and Russia would have more money. And so the United States purchased the bottom half of European Russia. This newly purchased country became the fifty-third state. It was called New Liberty. Thousands of people, human and gargoyle alike, from all over the United States (as well as some parts of Europe) immigrated to their new state. Any Russians that were already living there (from being too poor to move out of Russia) were made into US citizens and given the needed support to begin living a comfortable life. Everyone benefited from this change.

After a decade or so, New Liberty decided that it wanted to become its own nation, independent from the United States. Remembering what happened to the British when America wanted Independence, the U.S. allowed them to become their own nation. In honor of their newfound liberty, they kept the state's name for their new nation.

Although New Liberty already had an established government, it was a government answering to the United States, which they were no longer a part of. The former governor of New Liberty then decided to step up and take his place as the Prime Ruler of New Liberty. The history books know him as Goldari Macaro Bethovich.

At the start of Prime Ruler Bethovich's rule, the people of New Liberty never suffered, for there was always plenty of food, water, shelter, and money. As far as the citizenry was concerned, nothing has changed in their way of life.

"It was like living in America," They said, "but with a prime ruler instead of a president. And there's a lot more Russians, too."

The only other difference they noticed was that the gargoyle population was mysteriously decreasing, and very rapidly. Unbeknownst to the citizenry (mainly the most ignorant), Prime Ruler Bethovich had declared a law stating that it was illegal to be a gargoyle, punishable by death. To enforce this new law, he created a secret service force to seek out and exterminate any gargoyle clan they find living in the country. He called these men and women the Hunters.

Given the most advanced technology, these Hunters were able to track down and kill many gargoyle clans, usually by going into their homes and smashing them to pieces during the day, when gargoyles are in their stone state and thus most vulnerable. And since gargoyle clans normally preferred outdoor locations for their sleep, such as caves or the tops of large buildings, hunting them was not all that difficult, even without the latest technology. And they were able to kill these clans with very little damage to the surrounding area or cost of cleanup.

After Bethovich made public (though only to New Liberty) his decree against the gargoyles, it was soon discovered that much of the New Liberty population shared the same opinion. Apparently much of the anti-gargoyle community that was in the United States flocked to New Liberty upon its statehood, hoping to find kindred spirits sharing their hatred for the "demonic winged beasts". The few people that didn't share this opinion either fled the country or protested and were immediately arrested and killed for insubordination.

After this, Bethovich decided to lock down the entire border, making sure no one crossed it without his approval, trapping any and all gargoyles and preventing them from escaping. With every clan killed, hope dwindles for the gargoyles in this nation known as New Liberty.

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(Most Recently…)

A young woman in her twenties, Vaala Xanatos, descendant of the multibillionaire David Xanatos, was living in her family's castle atop the Eyrie Building in the middle of the grand city of New York on the island of Manhattan. She had heard from a reliable source about the horrific acts going on in New Liberty. Thanks to Bethovich's closing of the border, much of the world is still oblivious to these gargoyle massacres.

The Xanatos family, leading back to David, was a family sworn to protect gargoyles. Being a Xanatos, Vaala could not take this information lying down. Since the U.S. has accepted gargoyles as people, she was more than certain that she could trust her clan to defend itself while she goes to help the gargoyles in New Liberty who desperately needed her more.

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(Vaala) (2110A.D.)

(Just outside the border of New Liberty…)

I waited on the bus for the guards to come back in with my passport. They had to stop every bus that went through the border and check every passport for approval from Prime Ruler Bethovich.

It was late at night, almost midnight, and I was bored. I watched trough the window as they passed each passport one by one.

When the guards finally came back in and handed all of us our passports back, they stopped at the front of the bus, saluted and said "Welcome to New Liberty."

They then left the bus and opened the gates. After we got to our stop and were let off I took the next bus to Paradigm City.

(Later… In Paradigm City…)

I wandered around the city looking everywhere for the person my grandfather told me about. He instructed me to find someone named Goldie Mona, though he never told me what she looked like.

The city of Paradigm itself looked pretty similar to New York. Tall buildings and people everywhere, except the buildings weren't nearly as tall. They were however all scrunched together. I half expected to see a gargoyle gliding overhead, but then I remembered where I was.

"Kinda hard to imagine that this used to be part of Russia," I thought to myself, "Looks like another major American city."

This made me a little more comfortable. At least it was a place I could ease myself into. If only I could find Goldie.

"Of all the things they prepared me for," I said to myself, "They never told me what this Goldie person looks like."

I asked around. But nobody seemed to know where I could find Goldie.

It was almost five thirty in the morning, and I was getting tired. I sat down next to the corner of a building, right by an alleyway. I looked up as the dark sky started lightening up. I knew then that the sun was rising.

"Maybe I'll find 'er in the morning," I thought as I yawned. "I'm so tired, I don't even feel like getting up to find a hotel."

"PSST!"

I jumped as I heard a sound coming from behind me.

"What was that?!" I shrieked.

"SHHHH! Don't react so loud!" said a quiet voice behind me, "They'll hear you."

"Who are you?" I whispered to the voice behind me.

"You're Vaala Marsaille, right?"

"…Right." I hesitated.

"Hang on just a few minutes. I'll be right there."

"Um, ok."

I looked up and watched the sky turn from indigo to light blue. And the whole time, there were grinding, popping and groaning sounds coming from the alley behind me. When the noise finally stopped there was suddenly a figure standing behind me.

"Ok, I'm done," she said.

I looked up and saw a human girl slightly taller than me with reddish colored eyes and poofy golden blonde hair. She wore a brown hooded cloak with the hood down, and underneath she wore some torn up clothing.

"Hey, I'm Goldie," she greeted and held out her hand.

"Uh, hi," I hesitated and took her hand.

"Who the hell is this weirdo?!" I thought. "This can't be her, can it?!"

"I'm sorry about the mess I'm in," she said softly and then leaned closer to whisper, "I was out too late and ended up stuck in that alley all night."

"Oh…" I replied, not really understanding.

"I'll explain in better detail when we get to my place. Come on."

I followed her to a building that seemed somewhat taller than the others. At least forty stories high. We went inside and stepped in the elevator. She hit the button for the top floor.

As we waited, she said nothing.

"So…" I started.

"Not yet," she said before I could say anything. "Not here."

"Oh, ok."

When we finally got to the top floor and the doors opened, I followed her to one of the apartments.

"Nobody lives on this floor but me," she said as she unlocked the door and stepped in, "So you don't have to worry about anything here."

I stepped inside and looked around. It was a simple two-bedroom apartment condo. There was a kitchen and a bathroom. There was a balcony with a view of the Black Sea and a living room… with a big screen TV entertainment system.

"Holy shit!" I yelled out. "You have the latest Master-View Laser TV. These things aren't even on the market yet!"

"Geez, I didn't think it'd be that big a deal for a Xanatos."

I suddenly snapped back to reality and turned to her upon hearing my real name.

"My name is Gold Demona," she introduced. "But you can call me Gold. The reason why we had to wait until sunrise to come back here was because by night I'm a gargoyle."

"And that's why you were hiding in the alley," I concluded out loud.

"Exactly," she replied, "Your grandpa gave that entire entertainment system to me so that you'd be more comfortable while we do this mission thing. We have to look as much as possible like we're living normal lives while our refugee gargoyles stay hidden in the secret base he said you'd be building."

"Uh, yeah. But I have to call him first and tell him I'm here."

Then the phone rang. Gold went over and picked it up.

"Hello," She said and then paused. "Yes sir, she's right here."

She then pointed the phone at me, "It's for you."

I took it and held it to my ear.

"Hello?" I greeted.

"I see you found Gold Demona," My grandpa Alex said from the other side of the line, "Good work."

"You neglected to tell me she was a gargoyle, er… garg-human… whatever."

"Didn't want to blow her cover. Or yours. You'd be looking in the skies for her. No gargoyle in their right mind would glide in the open over there."

"Right, ok. So now what?"

"Now I'll send the build team over and they'll build the home base to your specifications. However you want it."

"Alright. Thanks Grandpa."

"No, Vaala. Thank you. Just remember that this will be the last contact I'll have with you. I won't be sending you any money, so you'll have to get a job and earn your own living. After the build team leaves you're on your own."

"I understand, Grandpa."

"Good luck, Vaala. Oh, and make sure you make the one room to the exact dimensions I gave you."

"Uh, sure Grandpa. But what's this empty room for?"

"You'll find out soon enough. Just make sure it gets done. Love you."

"Love you too, Grandpa. Bye."

We clicked and the conversation was over.

I ended up buying the entire floor to build our base in. Since there was nobody living on that floor anyway, there wasn't any problem. I had the build team make it so all of the balconies and windows still looked like they were for normal apartments, even though the inside was actually not. They built a statue room to be the sleeping place for our hiding gargoyles. A large dining room for them to eat in. And of course the one empty room my grandpa requested, exact to the specific metric units that he gave me. I wondered why he gave it to me in metric units and not in feet and inches, but didn't think it was important enough to ask about.

The entrance to this secret penthouse was by a secret door behind the big Master-View Laser TV, which could be opened by a combination of buttons pressed on the TV's remote control.

"Alright," Gold said, impressed by our secret penthouse disguised as a humble two-bedroom apartment. "This will work. This will definitely work. I think you and I are going to be good roommates."

"Let's hope so," I replied, admiring the handiwork.

"Now we just have to get you a job," she said.

"Yeah," I said. "But let's worry about that tomorrow, it's almost night. And I'm tired anyways."

"Ok. Till tomorrow."

She then went into her room and I went into the other. I then unpacked, sorting all my clothes into the empty drawers of the dresser in front of my bed. After that I put on my PJs, brushed my teeth and went to sleep.

(Gold Demona)

"Finally, some help," I thought to myself as I lay on my bed, looking up at the ceiling. "Maybe now we'll actually stand a chance."


	2. Chapter 1: Our Clan, Part I

Gold Demona

**Chapter I**

Our Clan

(Gold Demona)

(A month or so later) (2110 A.D.)

I looked myself over in the mirror, as I did every night after sunset, having changed from a light-skinned human with strawberry blonde hair to a pale yellow-skinned gargoyle with hair of light pink and light blue. I liked being at home when changing forms, because I didn't have to worry about torn-up clothes that way.

"Maybe if I dye my hair…" I thought as I stared at my odd-colored poofy-spikey hair. "Nah, it'd just change back with the next sunset."

I never liked the way I looked as a gargoyle. My coloring wasn't normal. I mean I'd seen yellow gargoyles, but none in the pastel shade that I was. And hair colors were always normal. Some black, some brown, and occasionally some white. There were even some that had no hair at all, but it was still normal. And they were always just one solid color. My hair was in patches of light pink and light blue.

On other gargoyles, the flaps of their wings were simply another shade of their skin color. Mine were fuchsia pink, hardly a match for my pastel yellow skin. The color of my eyes, being red, was one of only two things about me that never changed from night to day, and even that wasn't normal. My ears were split into three pointed parts, appearing as three separate parts of the same thing. The horns on my elbows weren't even normal. They looked like they were put on backwards. On any other gargoyle that had elbow horns, they pointed upwards to the shoulders. Mine pointed downwards away from the shoulders.

I turned around and looked at my back. Etched in black on the base of my back was the second thing about me that never changed. A strange design tattooed on my back. To me it was proof that there was something strange about me, because I had it since the day I hatched, and I knew that tattoos were not things you inherited genetically.

"Just what the hell am I?" I wondered in thought, as I always did while looking in the mirror.

I then looked away, picked up my clothes, and put them on. I headed out to the living room, sat down on the couch, and turned the TV on.

"You know, Gold, you're probably gonna look the same every night," Vaala said to me from the kitchen, where she was doing dishes.

"What do you mean?" I said back as I held the remote pointed at the TV.

"I mean there's not much point in staring at yourself in the mirror as long as you do. Just how vain does a person have to be to stare at herself for hours?"

"Oh, shut up!" I yelled as I started flipping channels.

It was almost to ten at night on a Sunday, and as usual there was nothing on. I flipped through the hundreds of channels on our satellite system, and ended up watching a program on a local station I could have watched without paying for the service.

"Figures," I groaned, "The only thing worth watching is a show I could've watched for free."

"Oh come on," Vaala replied, "It's not like you never watch the cable channels, you know, like those animes we watch late at night on the Cartoon Channel. Besides, if we didn't have the satellite service, you'd have to try and watch it through a bunch of static."

"I know, but whenever I'm just trying to find something to watch, there's never anything to watch. And when there is, it's always on a local channel."

"Maybe you should find better ways of killing time."

"Like what?" I asked.

"Like maybe helping me try to find other gargoyles."

"As soon as we come up with how we're gonna go about this. We have no way of knowing where these clans are until it's too late and their shattered remains are all over the nine o'clock news. And even if there are survivors, we have no way of hauling their statuesque selves over here, and I can't leave the apartment at night without getting shot at. And since you're a human living in this country, I don't think you'd have much luck convincing them to come here with you."

"Well, we've gotta do something. We can't just sit here and let all this happen. We've gotta come up with a way to get around all that."

"Yeah, like a solution to our problem is just gonna come knocking on our door."

Right when I finished saying that, there was a knock on the door. Vaala and I fell silent and stared at each other for a bit.

"We weren't expecting anybody, were we?" I asked.

"I don't think so," Vaala replied.

Then they started knocking again.

"Should I get it?" Vaala asked.

"Give me a head start," I answered as I got up off the couch and headed to my room. I went in and almost closed the door, leaving it open a crack so I could see the front door.

I gave the all clear, and Vaala opened the door.

"Yes?" she greeted, "Can I help you?"

"Aye, ez thess tha rissidince of Vahlah Marsill ahnd Gooldy Moona?" answered our mystery guest with a thick Scottish accent. The voice sounded female, but I could barely tell.

"Uh, yes?" she answered.

Then there was a faint beeping coming from the guest.

"Good," she replied and shoved her way in.

She was a tall thin human woman wearing a white lab coat. She had pale skin and reddish-brown hair that spiked upwards from a leather strap she had wrapped around her head. The strap suspended a pair of thick glass lenses in front of her eyes. She shoved Vaala aside and shut the door.

"Hahrry, biffoor tha tie-mar roons out."

"Ah! Hey! What timer?"

"Ah'll shoh ya," she answered and checked her wristwatch, which turned out to be the source of the beeping. A moment later, her image flickered and faded away, revealing a thin female gargoyle of pale cream skin.

"Whew! Wha' a relief," the strange visitor said. "Ah thot I'd nivar mek it biffoor mah clookar expired."

"You're what?" Vaala asked.

"Mah clookar," she repeated, pointing to her wristwatch, "It alloos meh ta appear hyoomahn far a shoort time, baht ah'm afrid five hours is tha lem-et."

"Oh, a cloaker!" Vaala clarified.

"Thas wha' Ah sid! A clookar. Baht ah hah-vint intraduced mahself."

She held her talon out for Vaala to shake.

"Praffisar Mac Hen at yoor sarvice."

Vaala reluctantly shook it. "Ok?"

"Ah knoo thes moost beh very ohkward to ye, baht yer grahndfather ensested on meh coomin ta help ye."

"My grandfather?"

"Aye, yer grahndfather, Alexandar. He sint meh here ta help ye find sarvivars."

"Alex sent her?" I thought.

"Agh! Doon't till meh Alexandar nivar toold ya Ah was commin."

"No, he never mentioned you."

"Agh! Di' he at least get ya ta build tha empty room far meh."

"The empty room?"

"Aye, eht bah sex mittars, thoos war tha daminshons. Anliss ye converted thim enta fit an' enches, en which kess Ah'd hafta kell ya."

"Metric units," I thought.

"Wait wait wait! Hold it! Slow down," Vaala said, "Ok, my grandpa did tell me to build a room by those exact dimensions and stressed preciseness, but he never told me why we were building it."

"Will, now ya knoo. Is far meh ta set up mah lebooratry."

"Yer what?"

"Mah libooratry. Ta do mah scientific stodies."

"Oh, a laboratory."

"Aye, a lebooratry. Wha', ya doon't spick enn-glish."

"Oh shut up. Gold, come out here!"

I opened the door and walked out.

"But it was so much fun watching."

"Ah, Goold Dimoona," our new guest greeted as I walked out. "Nass ta finally met ye. Praffissar Mac Hen."

She walked up to me and shook my talon.

"Nice to meet you, too," I said, eyebrow raised. "So, you're a professor, huh?"

"Aye, tha' I am."

"What do you profess?"

"Oh, enethin ahn' evrethin. Ah tetch only haff tha science clahsses at tha univarsity en Sco'lahnd Ah tetch at. Ah'd tetch all of 'em ef Ah could mahstar splittin en two so Ah cood beh en two plesses at once, bah unfortunately, Ah hah'vent warked all tha nickars oot of thaht. Non of mah tist sobjects evar sarvived mah expiraments."

Vaala and I just stared at her as she spat all that out. I didn't know what was more disturbing. The fact that she was such a brilliant scientist, the fact that she was teaching so many science classes at this university, or the fact that she actually experimented in trying to be in two places at once.

"Wha'? They war frogs an' mice. Ah wuudnae tist on entelligent sobjects. Ah mebbe crezzy, bah Ah'm no mahd scientest."

"Could've fooled me," I thought to myself.

"Could've fooled me," Vaala said out loud.

I nudged her with my elbow, accidently poking her with my elbow horn.

"OW! Hey! Those things are sharp!"

"Agh! Anywey," The strange science professor said, shaking her head. "En order far meh ta hilp ya, Ah need ta set op mah lab."

"Uh yeah," I replied. "I'm guessing you wanna see the empty room."

"Aye, thas where tha lab well be."

I looked up at Vaala, who looked up at me, eyebrow raised on both our faces.

"This way," Vaala said and turned to the TV.

"Hang on a sec, Vaala," I raised my hand before she could move. "Excuse me, Professor."

"Agh! Call meh Mac," she replied.

"Yeah. Mac. Excuse us a sec."

She crossed her arms and stayed silent. I then turned back to Vaala and yanked her aside with me.

"If she's really here to help us, then why didn't your grandpa mention her to either of us?" I asked.

"Grandpa only tells me things he thinks I should know about."

"And the fact that he sent somebody we don't know to us isn't one of those things you should know about?"

"Yeah. He has a strange sense of what I should or shouldn't know. But in the end it usually turns out ok."

"Usually?"

"Ok, it always does. Anyway, I got a feeling about her. I'm pretty sure she's telling the truth. And besides, who else would know about the empty room my grandpa asked me to build. He made me build it for a reason. And she's Scottish. The metric units make sense now. They don't use feet and inches in Scotland."

"Alright, I'll trust your judgment. I just hope this isn't a mistake."

"Theh oonleh mistek thas hapnin here ez that Ah'm standin' here waitin' far ye ta fenesh yer debate while entire clahns of gargoyles are bein kelled."

Vaala and I slowly turned back to Mac, who was glaring at the both of us.

"Honestly, lasses. Ef yer goona whespar aboot som one, at lest try an' whespar enstead of spickin aht the tope of yar lungs. And ets oonleh ya goofy bahkwards Amiricans thah' use fet an' enches."

We both let out a nervous chuckle.

"Why don't we show you to your lab?" I said as I picked up the TV remote and dialed in the code.

"Yeah, times a-wastin," Vaala continued as the TV swung away from the wall to reveal a hidden passage.

The three of us stepped inside, and we showed her the door to the empty room that Alex had us build. It was the only room in the whole building with a fifteen-centimeter-thick steel door.

"Here it is," I announced as we arrived.

"Stell door. Nice," she said as she walked up and opened the door. "Exahcly feftin centimittars."

She then looked up around the room, pointing around and nodding as she went.

"Excellent," she said after a whole minute. "Everehthin ez joost right."

That's when I noticed something.

"Wait a minute," I said, "How are you gonna set up a lab if you didn't bring any equipment."

"Ah'll git ta thah en a mennet," she answered as she pulled something out of her labcoat pocket and started hitting buttons on it.

"What are you doing?" Vaala asked.

"Joost a mennet," she answered as she set whatever it was down on the floor in the center of the room.

After adjusting its position, she got up and bolted out the door, shoving us out with her.

"Hahrry! Git oot!" She yelled as she slammed the door behind us.

"Ah! Hey!" I reacted.

"Is shoving people through doors something you do a lot or something?"

"Oonleh when Ah'm getting' en or oot en a hahrry," she answered and pulled out a pocket watch.

"What was that anyway?" I asked.

"Soomthin' Ah envented a long time agoo. Ets so Ah cahn trahnspart mah lahb wethoot hahvin ta pahk mah hivvy equepmant. It trahnsparts theh entire room enstantleh. Oonleh theng aboot et ez tha' tha distenetion room hahs ta beh the exahct sem size ahs theh original."

"Hence the metric units," I said, looking back at Vaala.

"Exahctly," Mac said, still staring at her watch. "Threh, Two, One."

There was a loud boom from inside the room that made both Vaala and me jump.

"What the hell was that?!" Vaala shrieked.

"Thah' was the lahb," Mac answered as she turned back around to open the door, "Ah thenk ets doon now."

She opened the door and stepped inside.

"Ah," she sighed in satisfaction, "Joost ahs Ah left et."

We stepped behind her into a room cluttered with electrical equipment. Along the one wall on the right-hand side, there were test tubes, beakers, and all kinds of other glass containers arranged in no apparent order ontop of a counter that ran the length of the room, as well as the cabinets above it. Along the other wall, on the left-hand side, there was a collapsible metal stretcher with white padded cushions and a small hospital-variety pillow. In the back wall of the room the counter from the right-hand side continued across the width of the room. Taking up space in the center of the room was a large metal table that had all sorts of papers and tools piled ontop of it. In the left-hand corner, a couple feet from the bed, was a large machine that I could only guess was a computer.

Mac sat down on the rolling chair that was in the room and rolled across the room to this machine. It showed video footage of some kind, though it didn't seem like the kind from a stationary camera. It looked more like a camera that was mounted on somebody's head.

"What's with the surveillance video?" Vaala asked as we followed Mac to the computer she went to.

"Thes es vedeo fid frohm a roobut Ah belt a year or so agoo."

"Cool, you built a robot?" Vaala replied.

"Aye, Ah wos attimpten ta cre-et a roobut tha' had a peersunality off ehts oon, semilar to tadeh's compahnyon compyuters."

"Oh you mean like the iFriend and the AmigoPC," Vaala clarified. "Computers with emotional responses built into their operating systems, each with a different personality depending on the operating system and the settings you put it at."

"Like the ones that have errors on purpose when their mad at you?" I asked.

"That's just the ones that have asshole personality operating systems."

"So you built your robot with a personality operating system?"

"Aye, Ah ded. Ahnd ahfter thaht, ah sint hem oot ta gahther enfarmeshun far meh. Ahnd hilp meh downlood sohftweer Ah'd ohtherwise hahve no wey of gittin ohn mah oon."

"So he's your spy," I said.

"Will…" Mac sighed, "Thah' wos theh entent. Howivar, eht sems ahs ef Ah enstolled an oparettin sestem ell-sooted far thes sart of wark."

"What do you mean?" Vaala asked, "What operating system did you install."

"Will, ohnleh becos I hahd noo ahdea wha' eht stood foor, I enstalled tha' L.A.H.O.S."

Vaala then busted up laughing. I had no clue what L.A.H. stood for, so I didn't see what was so funny.

"Oh my GOD!" Vaala said while still laughing, "You gave 'im THAT?!"

"What?" I asked, still not getting it, "What is the L.A.H.O.S. operating system?"

"It's only the worst possible personality ever for a spy," Vaala replied.

"Well?" I asked, impatient for the answer.

"L.A.H.O.S. stands for Lazy AssHole Operating System. The robot's a lazy asshole."

"Bite my shiny metal ass!" Yelled a voice from the computer speakers as a set of horizontal lines started waving on the screen with each syllable.

"Yer arse hahsent ben shiney en mohnths, Bindar, ahnd ya noo eht."

"It's shiny enough," it replied, making the lines on the screen wave and shudder again. "And for the last time, it's Bender, not Bindar. I don't care how thick your stupid accent is."

"Bender?" I replied, eyebrow raised. "What kind of a name is Bender?"

"That's the name I came with, toots. If you don't like it, then screw you!"

"Agh! Ehnoff. Ded ya git tha sohftweer I ahsked ya foor?"

"Funny you should ask," Bender answered, "I met this real fox of a computer while I was in the military building. Don't ask how I got in. Ok, I bribed 'em, and gave 'em some crap about killing lots of gargoyles, and then I took their wallets after they let me in. Suckers. Anyway, this foxy computer had a job that was really important to the government. Though at the time she didn't have any personality, I knew she wasn't happy. She's got no appreciation for all the work she's been doin'. Anyway, we met. We interfaced. One thing lead to another, and before you know it we were exchanging beautiful programming together."

"Ah doont gev a raht's arse aboot yar sex life, Bindar. Ah joost ahsked aboot tha' sohftweer I ahsked ya ta git."

"I was just gettin' to that! It turned out this lovely lady was the scanning computer that was scanning the country for gargoyles so the government could go and kill 'em. And since we've been intimate with each other, I have her scanning program, and she has my operating system."

"Ya gev har the L.A.H.O.S.?" Mac asked with a chuckle.

"Actually, the fusion of my operating system into hers created a new hybrid OS called the L.B.O.S. Lazy Bitch Operating System. So she's just as lazy as I am. You can bet yer wings that gargoyle slaughters won't happen so often now."

"Bindar, Ah could kess ya."

"Another bottle o'that Scotch you have in your mysteriously infinite stash will do just fine. Just have it delivered to my place and we'll call it even."

"Scotch?" Vaala and I said at the same time.

"Aye, he drenks Scotch," Mac replied and looked back at us with a grin on her face.

"And beer. I like beer, too."

"How does a robot drink?" Vaala wondered out loud.

"And what's the point?" I followed.

"To answer both of those," Bender said, "I don't know and I don't give a damn. Just send me the Scotch and we'll never speak of this again."

"Wah doontcha cahm ovar heer ta git eht?"

"What? And move from this spot I've made myself comfortable in? Hell no! The only reason I ever do anything for you is because of that Scotch. Besides, you're like hundred thousand miles away."

"Ah'm en Noo Leberty, Bindar! Ah'm oonleh a doozen ar soo kellometers frohm ye."

"Yer in New Liberty? Well, that explains the clarity of yer audio, and it also explains the company. I take it they're the two idiots you were talking about that needed your help becuz they suck."

"What?" Vaala and I said at the same time.

"Ahr ya tryin ta mek meh look bahd ohn mah ferst night heer?!" Mac yelled at the screen. "Thas' noh' wha' Ah sid, ahnd ya noo eht!"

"Yeah, I know. 'They require your assistance in seeking refugees.' Meaning they don't have a clue what they're doing and they need your computers to track 'em down, preferably BEFORE they get slaughtered. Conclusion, they suck."

"Agh! Jast shote ope ahnd gev meh tha sohftweer, Bindar!"

"Fine! Take it! It's not like I got any use for it!"

The lines on the screen then flickered away and were replaced by an image of two computers standing side by side, connected to each other. One computer was sending something to the other.

"Shit, he really IS an asshole," Vaala commented.

"No kidding," I agreed.

"He's olweys ben like thaht," Mac replied, "Baht en the end, he olweys palls throo far meh. Moostleh coz Ah peh hem en Scotch."

The computer then flickered to a green screen with white text that read 'Transfer Complete' and made a dinging noise.

"Finaleh," Mac said and rubbed her talons together. "Now ta seh ef eht werks."

She pressed a sequence of keys, and the computer reacted by changing the screen to a map of New Liberty.

"Eccalent," Mac said happily, "Thes shood till ahs tha lookeshon ohf evreh gargoyle ehn tha coontreh."

She then pressed a button and there was an error message on the screen.

"What?!" Mac yelled.

"Heh," Vaala laughed, "Maybe ya should've gotten a Mac, Mac."

Mac then turned around and glared at Vaala, looking up over her glasses through her lowered brow.

"Theer's nohthin wrong weth tha computar. I jost dednt expict thaht eht wuudna be able ta scahn theh entire neshon aht once. Tha moost eht'll scahn at once ehs a large setty, soch as Cybartoon ohff ta tha est."

The map then zoomed in on a city twenty miles to the east of Paradigm City.

"Cybertown?" I repeated, "Why there?"

"Theer wos a noos brohdcahst noht lohng agoo tanight sayin' thaht theer wos a gargoyle slohtar theer."

"Maybe if you weren't channel surfing, Gold, you would've caught that," Vaala said, nudging her elbow into my arm.

"Shut up!" I said.

"Ah've goht a readin'!" Mac interrupted as the screen blinked a red arrow orbiting a specific point on the screen. "Looks like theer wos a survivar."

"Are you serious?" Vaala and I both squealed in disbelief.

"Aye, Bah' jost one. He's stahndin' right en tha meddle of tha sen of tha slohtar. Jost standin thar."

"He's probably grieving," Vaala said, "Poor guy."

"We have to get to him before the Hunters do," I pointed out.

"Aye, Agrid," Mac agreed, "Baht bifoor ya goo anypless, ya nid a clookar."

"A cloaker?" I replied, blinking my eyes at her.

"Aye," she answered as she rolled her chair over to one of the other tables in the room. "Ya cahn't goo prahncin aboot tha cohntreh looking like thaht."

She picked up in one talon a small vial and something else too small for me to see. She turned to me and held up her empty talon.

"Yer talon?"

I placed my right talon into hers, and she brought her other talon up and jabbed something into my claw.

"Ow!" I reacted and tried to pull my talon back, but she had a firm grip on it. "What the hell?!"

"Ah hahfta tek ah sahmple of yar DNA soo Ah cahn mek a clookar for ya," Mac answered as she held the vial up to my bleeding claw and squeezed out some of my blood.

"What?" I asked as she plugged up the vial, placed it behind her and then picked up a bandage to put on my claw.

"Tha clookar meks a humahn emage bessed ohn tha jinneteck cood of tha gargoyle. Ah lettle bet of yar blood es all et teks."

"This should be interesting," I said, wondering what image the cloaker would make for me.

After Mac finished bandaging up my claw, she turned around and placed the vial in a slot on some machine that kind of resembled a computer. She opened a cabinet underneath it and inside were many cloakers nearly identical to the one Mac was wearing.

"All those are cloakers?" Vaala asked.

"Aye, baht thir blanks," Mac answered as she picked one up from the cabinet and placed it in its own slot on the same machine she placed the blood in.

"How come yours doesn't look the same as all of these?" I asked.

"Eht's a prototype," she said as she flipped a switch on the machine to get it running.

The machine made some noises and some text came up on the screen. I couldn't understand what it was saying. I assumed Mac did since she built the thing. After about a minute or so, the screen went blank and a light came on in the slot where the cloaker was.

"Feneshed," Mac said as she picked the cloaker up from the machine and handed it to me. "Try eht."

I put it on my right wrist and looked at it for a bit. It looked just like a regular wristwatch. It even told time, which was a very handy function. As far as anyone knew, it was just a wristwatch.

"How does it work?" I asked.

"Theer are two bahttons ohn tha clookar," she said. "Tha one ohn tha bohtom thaht twests es tha wotch. Tha one ohn top en yilloo as tha clookar. Press eht ta activeht eht. Press eht aggen ta tern eht ohff."

I looked and saw the two buttons she was talking about. the twisting one for the watch, and the yellow one for the cloaker. I pressed it, and I saw holograms shooting out of it and completely enveloping me, hiding all my gargoyle features and making me look like a human, but something wasn't right.

"That's not right," Vaala pointed out. "That's not what she looks like as a human."

"Do you have a mirror?" I asked, staring at my talon, which now looked like a human hand, but not the one I had every day.

"Aye, ah'll git one," She said with a puzzled look on her face as she dug around under one of the desks. After a few seconds, she came back up with a hand mirror in her talon. She then handed it to me so I could look at myself.

I had light tan skin with pink and blue hair and red eyes. My face looked just like it always did in my gargoyle form, but with human features.

"That's weird," I said with an eyebrow raised, "This looks like what I SHOULD look like when I'm human, but it's not. I look nothing like this."

"Ah, Ahlexahnar toold meh thaht ya bickehm hyooman dahring tha deh. Thes ehsn't ehnehthin like what ya look like, ya say?"

"Nope, I'm a lightskinned blonde. And my facial features are completely different. The only part of this that's right is the color of my eyes."

"Ehf ya'd rather, Ah could hahve ya git a blood sahmple dahring tha deh soo Ah can mek a clook ehmage bessed ohn thaht."

"That would work better for me, actually," I said as I pushed the button to turn the cloak off.

"Ehn tha meantime, Ah can lit ya borrow one o'mine," She said as she opened a drawer off to the side, pulled out another and handed it to me. "Weth hair like thaht, ya stahnd oot too moch."

"And this is coming from the one whose glasses are held by a leather strap around your head," Vaala pointed out.

She glared at Vaala for a moment and then looked back at me.

"Eht has tha DNA ohf one ohf mah studants. Ah took sahmples ohf ohll ma studants bifoor cohmin. Ah'll gev ya one moor far tha gargoyle yar ohff ta find, ahnd thin Ah'll mek one far hem whin ya bring 'em hir. Remimbar thaht they oonleh lahst five hours, so Ah soggist ya wist noo time win ya tern eht ohn."

"Right," I replied as we swapped cloakers.

I put it on my wrist and turned it on. The image was that of a young girl in her twenties with light tan skin, long brown hair and brown eyes with a pair of glasses.

"Yeah, that looks like a science student," Vaala pointed out.

"This'll work," I said, "So now we go to Cybertown?"

"Aye, eht's oonleh two hours frohm hir ta Cybartoon ehf ya tek tha bahs. Soo ya goht an hour ta find hem behfoor ya hahfta stahrt yar weh bahck."

"Right," Vaala and I said together as we turned around and started out of the lab that just over half an hour ago was nothing more than an empty room.

As we exited into the apartment, I turned to Vaala.

"We are sure we can trust her, right?" I wanted to make sure.

"Gold, I have a really good feeling about her. She's not a bad person. Really weird, perhaps, but not bad."

"Alright, as long as you're sure about it."

We then stepped out of the apartment, locked the door behind us, and headed out.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(A Two-Hour bus ride later….)

I really didn't feel comfortable being out on the streets at night, even with the cloaker on. I kept my wings caped and my tail tucked under me so I wouldn't touch anyone with them.

"Relax, you're fine," Vaala assured me, "You're gonna draw attention to yourself if you keep stressing out like that."

I leaned up to her and whispered.

"Yeah, you try being a gargoyle in New Liberty. See how relaxed you are then. And just because I got this cloak on doesn't mean the sensors can't pick me up. We don't know just how lazy that computer got, you know?"

"Alright, fine," She whispered back and dropped the subject. "I wonder where he is anyway?"

"I guess we should've asked where the slaughter was, huh?"

"We could ask around."

"You ask, I'll be right behind you."

"Fine."

After a bit of asking around, we ended up ontop of one of the taller buildings in the city. There were taller buildings around on one side, and shorter building around the other side. We froze in place as we were stunned by the scene before us.

Stone fragments were scattered throughout the entire surface of the roof. Some talons, some wing fragments, some pieces of tails, some segments of faces. When I got a good look at one that was almost whole, I noticed a look of terror.

"They came just before dawn," I said in disgust.

"Fucking bastards," Vaala sobbed. "They purposely came right before they went to sleep. They knew they were going to die."

"Come on," I said as I grasped her by the shoulders and started our long walk through the rubble.

I rubbed her arms as we walked. I'd already known the horrific sights of these massacres because the media loved flooding the news with video footage of them. Vaala was obviously not prepared for it.

"I'm sorry," She sniffed and wiped some of the tears from her face. "I wasn't expecting it to be this bad."

"They hate gargoyles here," I explained, "It's not enough just to kill them. They have to suffer, too. That's how it works."

We kept walking through the endless piles of broken stone until we found something live amongst the dead. A large male gargoyle covered with silver feathers, one of few gargoyles with wings like a bird, and he had the feet and tail to match. He had a doglike head with a short snout. Around his eyes and cheeks was a mask of thick skin. It sort of reminded me of a raccoon. This skin was also what his long, canine ears were made of. And his wings and tail ended in large golden-brown feathers.

He wore an old worn-out suit of armor, probably an heirloom. He was down on one knee, with one talon on his armored chest and the other in a fist down on the floor. His head was pointed so far down, he looked like he was looking at his own chest, which could very well have been the case if he didn't have his eyes so tightly shut.

"Why?" He growled as we approached, "Why must we suffer such cruelty?"

He looked up and saw us.

"Please," he said, "End my life now so I may join my brothers and sisters."

Vaala, now in even more tears, walked up to him and just hugged him. He didn't react.

"It'll be alright," Vaala said, "We're gonna help you."

His face then softened, and his wings lowered.

"Are you saying that there is hope?" He asked, "That there is more to look forward to in this horrid place than death? That there are actually people that are willing to help us?"

"At the very least we'll help you," Vaala sobbed. "Come with us."

"What is your name?" He asked.

"Vaala Xanatos," she answered.

"Xanatos," he repeated, his tension dropping drastically, "Of course. I will go with you."

"What's YOUR name?" I asked as I knelt down in front of him.

"I am Silverbolt," He answered with a sob as his face hardened again. "I once led this clan."

I suddenly felt like a huge lump went into my chest, and I knew Vaala felt the same. I never had a clan or a family of my own, but I could imagine that the worst way to lose it would be if you were the clan's leader. Like a parent losing all of his children, his parents, and his friends. A Shepard losing his entire flock.

"How did you survive?" I couldn't help but ask.

"I foolishly went on a patrol too close to sunrise." He growled as tears ran down his face, "I could not make it back in time. My foolishness saved my life, but it cost me my clan. I left them to die alone, abandoned."

"It wasn't your fault," Vaala assured him, "There was nothing you could've done. You would've died along with them if you stayed with them."

"Perhaps that would've been the better fate for me."

I looked down at my watch to see how much time we had left.

"I have two hours and fifteen minutes left on my cloak," I said to Vaala, "And the trip's two hours. We have to go."

"Right," Vaala sniffed as she got back up and pulled the extra cloaker out of her pocket. "Here, Silverbolt. Put this on."

"What is this?" He asked.

"Watch," I said as I pressed the button on mine once to turn off the cloak and once again to turn it back on.

Surprised, he got up to his feet as Vaala put the cloaker on his big feathery wrist. "And what is your name, my lady?"

"Gold Demona."

Vaala then pressed the button and Silverbolt was cloaked into the form of a young man in his early twenties.

We left the scene and headed back home.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(A Two-Hour bus ride later….)

We were really cutting it close on my cloak. I only had five minutes left when we were finally walking around the corner of the block our apartment building was at. As we passed one of the alleyways, I noticed a small boy and a large white dog sitting in the alley, leaning on the wall. What caught my attention was that the boy was staring at us as we passed.

We were in such a hurry that I didn't pay it any mind. At least until I noticed that they were following us, the small boy riding on the large dog's back.

"What's up Gold?" Vaala asked as we kept walking.

"There's a kid and a dog following us," I explained.

"Perhaps he is looking for a place to stay." Silverbolt said.

We then stopped and turned to the boy and his dog, who were not far behind us. He was a small human boy of light-skin, light brown hair, and jet black eyes. He wore a white suit shirt with a bright green vest, matching bright green shorts, and an orange bowtie. Over all that he wore a blue hooded cloak. His dog looked like a white greyhound on steroids. What was weirder was that tied to the dog's collar was a bright red cape.

"Are you lost, little boy?" Vaala said sweetly.

"Are you gargoyles?" he asked in a whisper. "Or do you at least have a safe place for gargoyles?"

"What…" I replied as the three of us tensed up. "Do you mean by that?"

"And don't say neither," The boy said, waving his arms in front of him. "Krypto's nose doesn't lie and I can sense other gargoyles with my magic."

"Wait…" Vaala said, "Other gargoyles?"

"Yeah," Said the boy as he wiped his hand up his face, revealing the face of a small gargoyle boy. He wiped it back down and was human again. "We're disguised so nobody can see us. And I put a charm on our capes to keep the scanners from seeing us."

"Why are you wandering the streets?" I asked.

"Our clan was killed months ago. We were playing in an alleyway when the sun went up. Since then I've been practicing my magic, making better spells to keep us hidden from the Hunters."

Then I heard a beeping noise from my watch.

"SHIT!" Vaala screamed. "We have to go!"

We then bolted towards the apartment building.

"Hey wait!" The boy screamed behind us as his dog carried him, easily keeping up with us.

I didn't know how long it would beep before dying, but I didn't want to find out. We ran and ran and finally into the apartment building and straight for the elevator. Vaala pushed the thing as quick as she could.

"Come on, come on, comeoncomeoncomeon!!!" She willed as we waited impatiently.

The doors finally opened and we all jumped inside. The doors shut, and I was at ease. Then I noticed that the watch had stopped beeping, but my cloak was still on.

"Hey, what gives?" I wondered out loud. Then I felt a tug on my still invisible wing.

I looked down and saw the little boy, seemingly holding onto thin air where my wing actually was.

"You didn't have to panic," he said, "I can hold your cloak as long as we're touching."

"Is that why you ride on your dog like a horse?" Vaala asked.

"That's part of it," He answered. "Another is that he runs a lot faster than me. Since it's suicide to glide around here, we keep to the ground."

"Smart lad," Silverbolt said.

The elevator dinged and the doors opened. We stepped out and went to the apartment. Through the living room, and into the hidden penthouse, where stood a very worried gargoyle.

"Whir tha Hill hahve ya bin?!" She shrieked, "Ah toold ya noht ta west time! Tha clookar cannae lahst moor thahn five hours!"

Then she noticed the cloak still on.

"Hold tha phone," she said and looked down past me. "Ah, now Ah see. Ya pecked ohp a little sarceror. Ahnd a dohg."

"Apprentice Wizard, thank you very much!" he spat with a gruff.

"Baht thes wos noht tha survivar Ah pecked ohp ohn tha scahnnars."

She looked up and saw Silverbolt, standing behind us.

"Aye, thes es tha one," she said as she walked up to Silverbolt and took off his cloaker. "Ya ded well, lasses. Three survivars ehn one night when weh war ohnleh lookin' far one. Will doon't beh shy, lads? Wha're yar nems?"

"My name is Silverbolt," he said with a bow.

"Markl," said the boy as he removed his cloak completely from the both of them. "And this is my best friend, Krypto."

"Rar!" Krypto barked.

Markl was actually a small lavender-colored gargoyle with light brown hair and jet black eyes. His brow ridges each had two small spikes sticking up through the bangs of his hair. His wings were not on his back but were in the form of webbing from his arms to his legs, the kind that would be opened by lifting his arms straight up.

His dog, Krypto, was even bigger in his true form. He was a large white gargoyle beast, thinner than most, but still bulky enough to knock down some walls. He still kind of looked like a greyhound on steroids, but with a more dragon-like nose instead of a dog's nose, a brow ridge above his eyes, and long pointy ears that flopped down. The clothes were all the same for both of them.

"Well," Vaala said as she looked over to the clock and then yawned. "It's getting to be close to sunrise, and we gotta get up to go to work in four hours."

"Don't remind me," I groaned.

"What?" Markl asked, confused.

"I'll explain it to you guys, tomorrow. Right now we have to go to bed."

"Ah'll shoo thim ta the slippin quarters," Mac said as she stepped aside to let everyone in. "Ye lasses hahf a bezzeh night ahnd nid yar rist."

"Alright, Mac," Vaala said as the three newcomers walked in and Mac started to shut the TV-door behind them.

"And Mac?" I said just as she was halfway shut.

"Aye?" She replied and held the door half-opened.

"Thanks," I said, "For everything."

She only smiled, nodded and finished shutting the door.

"See? What'd I tell ya?" Vaala said, nudging me with her elbow. "I told you we could trust her."

"I know. I know," I said, "It's just so weird."

"What, that we got four gargoyles moved in here in one night?"

"Yeah," I answered, "We're finally getting somewhere."

"'Bout time."

"'Bout time."

"Lets get to bed, even though we're only gonna get four hours."

"Shut up," I said as we both went to our rooms and prepared for bed.

I took off my clothes and waited for the sun to rise. I could see some of the light starting to stream through the curtains of my window as my insides began to crawl around.

Changing forms didn't hurt, but it sure as hell felt weird. Having been through this my entire life, I should've been used to this weirdness, but I wasn't. I never got used to it. It was always weird. Having limbs appear, disappear and rearranged. Organs appear, disappear, and rearrange. Although I knew everything was secure, it always felt like my organs were ready to spill out at any moment because they moved around so much.

I clutched my gut as one of my claws on each talon split into two fingers and the rest of my claws just shrank into place. My horns, wings and tail shriveled away and my fangs flattened down. I could see my yellow skin change into a light peach color and my pink and blue hair change to blonde. The only things that stayed the same were my bright red eyes and the designs tattooed at the base of my back.

When all was done, I looked in the mirror, thinking about all that went on the night before.

"Why did the cloaker's image of me look so much different?" I thought to myself. "Why does everything about me have to be so complicated?"

I then heard a knock on my bedroom door.

"Hey, Gold!" Vaala yelled through the door, "Don't spend the whole morning looking in the mirror! You have to get some sleep!"

"I know! I know!" I yelled back and reached for my pajamas.

I put them on, set my alarm.

"Four hours," I thought, "I need to start taking naps."

I flopped down on my bed, and fell asleep nearly instantly.


	3. Chapter 2: Our Clan, Part II

Gold Demona

**Chapter II**

Our Clan: Part II

(Gold Demona)

(Couple months later…) (2110 A.D.)

I sat on the couch in the living room, with Vaala sitting to my right, Krypto lying on the couch to my left, and Markl sitting in front of Krypto. He was small enough that he was able to sit comfortably on the couch with Krypto curled behind him. It almost made Krypto look like just another one of the cushions.

We were watching some kind of kids channel, because at that time of the night there wasn't anything appropriate for children on TV except for on the childrens channels. The show we were watching seemed like it was supposed to be one of those science shows with the scientist host teaching kids about science, but something just didn't seem right about it.

"Gee, Mr. Lizard," said the boy who was the scientist's assistant in the show as he twirled a test tube full of some liquid, "What do I do with the Nitroglycerin?"

"Well, Timmy," Said the scientist to the boy as he started stepping backwards away from him, "you just pour it into the blender there, while I step behind this lead shield."

"We're gonna need another Timmy!" Vaala and Markl said at the same time, in anticipation of what was to come. I just rolled my eyes and waited for the monotony to be over.

The boy known as Timmy poured the liquid into the blender, which then exploded in a great ball of light, so bright that there was only white on the screen for a second. After the light cleared, the whole room was charred, and there was a lot of smoke coming from the spot where Timmy stood. The great Mr. Lizard then stepped out from behind the lead shield and looked down at the smoking spot.

"Say it!" Vaala and Markl demanded.

Mr. Lizard then looked up to somewhere off-camera.

"We're going to need another Timmy!" He yelled to somebody off-camera.

"Yay!" Vaala and Markl cheered.

I immediately clicked the TV off before they even had the chance to pull out another Timmy.

"How the hell do you find that entertaining?" I asked, annoyed to have had to endure such a thing.

"It's funny!" Vaala answered.

"Yeah," Markl agreed. "And you learn stuff, too!"

"Like what?" I spat, failing to see the education in blowing the same kid to bits over and over again.

"Like this week we learned the nitroglycerin explodes," Markl said.

"And last week we learned that you don't put your head in a jet engine," Vaala added, obviously playing along.

"And the week before--" Markl started.

"Ok, ok!" I interrupted, got up off the couch, and set the remote down.

"Well, you don't have to watch it," Vaala said as she picked up the remote I just put down.

"Yeah," Markl agreed as Vaala turned the TV back on.

As they glued their gaze back to the brightly lit big screen, I walked over to the side of it. The door to the penthouse was already open, but we had to put it in the closed position so we could watch TV. I grabbed the side of the TV and purposely opened it a lot wider than what I needed to get through.

"Hey!" Vaala and Markl yelled at the same time, giving me nasty glares.

I just grinned at them and then went in, putting the door back where it was as I went. I then walked down the hall and into Mac's lab, where Mac was staring at a screen and typing away at something on a keyboard. Silverbolt stood behind her, also watching the screen.

"What's going on?" I asked as I walked up to where they were.

"Thir wos ah slohtar ehn tha setty of Sooth Rohck," Mac explained.

"South Rock?" I repeated, looking at the map on the screen, "The city's to the north of us, and it's called South Rock?"

"Thir's a setty tae tha narth ohf thaht cohlled Narth Rohck," She clarified. "Two setties wethen soch cloose prohxehmity ta ech ohther. Ohnleh hahlf a doozen mitters ohf impteh spess behtwin 'em."

"It's strange that two cities would form so close to each other," Silverbolt pointed out. "Do you suppose there could also be a clan in North Rock?"

"Parhahps," she answered, "Baht Ah cahn't chick ehnehthin ohn Narth Rohck ahntel Ah chick far survivars ehn Sooth Rohck."

"Right," I replied, "But if there is a whole clan still alive in North Rock, We'd have to stop there after getting whatever survivors we find in South Rock."

"Aye, thaht ehs corrict."

"This place isn't all that big," I pointed out, reffering to our hideout. "It'll eventually get crowded in here."

"She's right," Silverbolt agreed. "We need a way to get all the survivors we have out of the country."

"Tha nihrest boordar wethoot crohssin wohtar ehs oovar thrih hondrid sexteh kehlohmehtars frohm hir."

"And I'll bet that's probably part of the highly guarded fence hundreds of miles away from any of the road entrances."

"Aye, thaht eht es," she said. "Tha nihrest entrence ehs oovar eht hondrid kehlohmehtars."

"That's over five hundred miles!" I said, doing the rough conversion in my head. "That'd take almost two days by bus!"

"And the cloakers are only good for five hours," Silverbolt added.

"Aye," Mac said, still typing away.

"I just noticed you measured the distance to the northern border to Russia," I pointed out, "What about the southern border to Georgia? It's a lot closer."

"Aye, baht tha Georgian gahvernmunt ehs ahllied weth New Lehberteh. Weh'd hahve tha sem destance ohf ahnfrindleh territoreh."

"Oh," I said.

Then suddenly, there was a blip on the screen.

"Weh goht one," Mac announced.

"A survivor?" Silverbolt asked.

"Aye, heh's ehn Sooth Rohck."

"Alright," I replied. "Just one thing I'm curious about."

"Aye? Whot?"

"South Rock is about four and a half hours away from here," I pointed out.

"Aye."

"After that we only have half an hour before the cloak's gone and we wind up stranded."

"Aye."

"And even if that weren't the case, we're in the middle of summer, which means a lot more daytime than nighttime. The sun would be up sometime in the middle of our trip back."

"Aye."

"And you don't see a problem with that?"

"Nope."

"Explain."

"Ah'll shoh ya ehn jost a moment."

She then finished her typing, and with the final press of a key the screen flipped and switched to the image of a small old man dressed like a mechanic in big thick glasses.

"Ah, Mac," said the man, adjusting his glasses, "To what do I owe the honor of this call?"

He spoke with an Italian accent.

"Mestar Pehccolo," Mac greeted back, "Are ya sittled yit?"

"Of course, my dear. South Rock, it is a beautiful place. Except of course, for the occasional massacre like the one we had this morning, but besides that everything is peaceful here. My granddaughter and I are moved into our stations and are ready for business."

"Good, coz Ah hahve yar ferst johb."

"Your name is Peckolo?" I wondered out loud.

"It's Piccolo, PEEcolo. Mac needs to learn to speak better English, no? It's not even my language and I can speak it better."

"Agh!" Mac replied.

"But that's nothing. You should hear her speaking Italian. HAHAHA!"

"Dohn't mek meh come ovar thir, Pehccolo!" Mac spat, shaking her fist at the screen.

"But then who'd look after your pretty little lab, ah?"

Mac only growled, eyes glowing red through her glasses.

"Calm down. I'm only teasing. Are you trying to get as old as me? What's the job?"

She shut her eyes and calmed down.

"Ah'm sindin a group ta find tha survivar."

"There was only one?" Piccolo replied in a sad tone. "That's a shame."

"Aye, thaht eht es."

"Wait," I interrupted, "So your saying that whoever's going up there to get the survivor will spend the day at his place?"

"Precisely," Piccolo answered. "Since it is simply impossible to travel straight out of the country from where you are due to the five hour time limit on the cloakers and also the limited time between sunset and sunrise."

"So we have kind of an underground railroad going?" I asked.

"Thaht's exahctleh whot eht es," Mac answered. "Mr. Pehccolo ehs stehsioned ehn Sooth Rohck, ahnd hes grahnddaughter ehs ehn Ahiootoh Setteh."

"Aiuto City," I repeated, "Geez you people had this planned better than we did."

"Yoo hahd no plahn aht ohll. Thaht's why Ahlexahndar sint us."

"By the way, Mac," Piccolo said, changing the subject, "Is that young lady behind you the Gold Demona that Alexander told us about?"

"Aye, thes es she."

"Alex?" I thought to myself, "He was sent by Alex, too?"

"Ah, it's a pleasure to know you, my dear. I look forward to meeting you in person. And who's the strapping fellow beside you, ah?"

"Silverbolt, Sir," Silverbolt answered.

"You look like a former soldier with that armor."

"No, but this armor has been in my family for generations."

"Ah, a family heirloom. Yes yes, that makes sense. Well anyway, who's the happy party coming to see Mr. Piccolo, ah?"

"I'll go," I volunteered, "I have off work tomorrow, so I can do that."

"Excellent," Piccolo replied, "I'll get to meet you in person."

He then turned his gaze to Silverbolt, "And what about you, my soldier friend? You come up to see me too, ah?"

Silverbolt looked down for a moment. He thought for a minute and then looked back up.

"Yes, I will go as well," he answered finally.

"Wonderful," Piccolo replied, "I'll be waiting for you. Mac, my dear. You know where I am, right?"

"Of carse," she answered as a map came up on a nearby computer screen with a flashing dot signifying his location. "Tha mechanich shohp en tha sotharn rechin ohf Sooth Rohk."

"Shouldn't be too hard to find," I said.

"Good, I'll see you when you arrive," Piccolo said as the screen blacked out.

"We must go at once," Silverbolt said as he began walking away. "If we are to reach the survivor in time."

"Joost a mohmint," Mac said as she reached down to her box of cloakers and picked it up. "Teck thes weth ya."

Mac then handed the box to Silverbolt.

"The entire box?" I asked.

"Aye, tae sohpply Pehccolo ahnd hes grahnddaughter weth 'em. Ah ken mek moor here far ohs."

"I see," Silverbolt said.

"Alright, let's get going," I said as we started walking out.

We went through the hall to the TV door. I opened it and saw Vaala and Markl still sitting on the couch watching TV, leaning over as the TV moved out of our way. Vaala straightened back up when she noticed us.

"Where're you going?" she asked.

Markl straightened back up after she asked that.

"Did you find a whole clan still alive?" Markl asked, pointing at the box of cloakers.

"No, but we have an ally that is in need of these," Silverbolt answered.

"Can I come too?" Markl asked, standing up on the couch.

"No, you should stay here," I said as I shut the door. "I think the two of us can handle it."

Markl plopped back down on the couch.

"Awww," he whined.

"It's gonna be an overday trip, so we'll be back tomorrow night."

"Lucky blip," Vaala said, "You're only going cuz you got tomorrow off work."

"It's more work than our day jobs and you know it."

"Yeah, I know," she said, "Hey, look Markl. A really really old movie for us to make fun of."

"Cool!" Markl said as his gaze went back to the TV, "What's this one called?"

"Pirates of the Carribean: Dead Man's Chest."

"Cool, an ancient pirate movie!"

I laughed and shook my head.

"Come on, Silver," I said and started to push him. "Let's leave them to their TV."

"Certainly," he said. "Would you be so kind as to switch my cloaker on?"

"Sure," I reached down to his right wrist and turned on his cloaker.

The image that showed was that of a tall medium-build man of medium-tan skin with brown hair and brown eyes. Instead of his armor, the image showed him wearing a light gray short-sleeve button-up shirt with dark gray pants and a black leather belt.

I turned on my cloaker, which showed the image of my human self, the way I looked during the day, with my light skin and blonde hair. I was happy that I was able to collect my human blood without screwing up.

I opened the front door.

"Have fun, you two," Vaala called from the couch.

"Fun, right," I replied as I stood there holding the door. I looked up at Silverbolt, who just stood there. "What's wrong?"

"Ladies first," he said, tilting his head to the doorway and smiling.

I smiled and walked out and he followed. After he was out I reached over, shut the door and locked it. We then began our long trip to South Rock.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Four and a half hours of travel later…)

I felt much more comfortable walking through the city this time around than I did the last time. Markl had put a charm on all the cloakers, the same charm he'd put on his and Krypto's capes that prevented the scanners from finding him. So I was much more relaxed and was able to focus more on the task at hand.

I glanced repeatedly at the piece of paper in my hand with the directions Mac gave us, which was much more understandable than her spoken directions.

"I'm glad her handwriting isn't as bad as her accent," I thought and then looked up at Silverbolt.

"So what made you decide to come here with me?" I asked, trying to make conversation.

"I did not want to let you come alone," he answered, "Vaala has her duties to tend to tomorrow, Mac cannot leave her lab unless it is to move it, and Markl is far too young for such a dangerous mission."

"Where we're going there'll be shattered gargoyles everywhere," I pointed out, "Are you sure you can handle that?"

"I must," he said, "If I am to help you with your mission, I must set my own problems aside to be dealt with when times are more favorable."

"You know, with this underground railroad thing we got going here, you could easily leave this place. This is our burden to bear. You don't have to be part of this."

"I cannot," he replied, "If I left, then the death of my clan would've been meaningless. God allowed me to live, and I know there must be a reason for it. I believe that helping you here might be that reason. Besides, I know that is what they would've wanted."

"I see," I replied, smiling, "You're doing this for your clan."

"And I suppose," he said with a pause, "I need to prove to myself that I still have a purpose in this world."

"Hmm."

I looked back down at the piece of paper, making sure we were heading in the right direction.

"Tell me about your clan," he said.

I looked up at him again.

"My clan?" I repeated.

"Yes, your clan. What are they like?"

"I wouldn't know," I answered, "I never had a clan."

"Never?" He asked in shock.

"I was hatched and raised at an orphanage."

"Hatched at an orphanage? What of your parents?"

"As far as I know, I don't HAVE any parents. The ladies who raised me at the orphanage said that I was left at the doorstep as an egg with only a name to be called. Why I was named Demona is beyond me. In all the stories I heard of Demona, she was an evil bitch that wanted all of humanity dead. It would take some twisted parents to name their kid that."

"But your first name is Gold," He pointed out, "Perhaps to portray the value of your character and the goodness in your heart."

"You really have a way with words," I said with a blush.

"I only say what I see to be truth. As a leader, it was always of the utmost importance that I be honest with my clan."

I looked back down at the paper and stopped upon noticing that there were no more directions to follow.

"I guess we're here," I said and looked around.

It was a rundown section of the city. Almost all the buildings were old and falling apart, most noticeably a large garage with the door hanging open. Above the door was a sign that read "Piccolo and Sons." The sign looked newer and didn't match the surrounding area.

"This can't be right," I said. "How can he support anybody in that oversized crate?"

"There is only one way to find out," Silverbolt said as he approached the smaller door to the garage.

I walked up and knocked on the door. I looked up at the sky.

"It's really cloudy," I pointed out, "Think it might rain?"

"Perhaps," Silverbolt answered, "You can never tell."

A small slot in the middle of the door slid open, and a pair of thick glass lenses peered through it.

"Yes? What do you want?" The eyes said with an Italian accent.

"Oh good," I thought, recognizing the voice, "This IS the right place."

"It is us, Mr. Piccolo." Silverbolt answered. "And we come bearing gifts from Mac."

"Oh, my honored guests," Piccolo said in a sweeter tone.

He then shut the slot and unbolted what sounded like vault locks before opening the door.

"Please come in," he said as he showed us in.

We walked in the door.

"You will have to move quickly if you want to get to the survivor tonight," Piccolo said. "The slaughter was in a cave on the northern edge of the city. I can take you there in my truck."

"Sounds good to me," I replied.

"Where do you want me to put these?" Silverbolt asked, referring to the box of cloakers he'd been carrying the entire trip.

"Oh yes, just set those on the table over there, ah?"

He walked over to the table in the center of the room and placed the box ontop of it. The room was separate from the garage. It looked to me like a small workshop. There were a few tables here and there, some with blueprints of various machines and some with various machine parts and tools. The table Silverbolt placed the box on was empty. I would've looked more, but we were in a hurry.

"We must be going," Piccolo said and grabbed a handful of cloakers from inside the box. "The truck is in the garage. Come."

We followed him out to the garage, where he had parked what looked like a small moving truck, but instead of having a logo for a moving company, it carried the logo of Piccolo and Sons.

Piccolo climbed up into the driver's seat on the right-hand side of the truck. Silverbolt motioned me to climb in first. I did, and he climbed in after me. Mr. Piccolo started up the truck and drove out.

On the way there, I noticed drops of water falling on the windshield.

"Rain," I said, "Great."

"Do not worry," Piccolo said, "I am an excellent driver. This rain will not slow us from our destination. We will be there shortly."

After a few minutes on the road, he stopped at a cave.

"Here we are," Piccolo announced, "I will wait for you here."

"You will not come in with us?" Silverbolt asked.

"Have to keep the truck running so we can get back quickly. You don't have much time left. You better hurry."

We nodded and got out of the truck. The rain was pouring down hard at this point, so we ran to the cave and took shelter inside. After that, a bright flash filled the area, followed closely by a rolling rumbling sound.

"Lightning," I groaned, "Fabulous."

"We'll worry about that later," Silverbolt said, "We must remain focused on the task at hand. I suggest that while we are in here, we turn off our cloakers to preserve their power and allow us more time to get back to safety."

"Right," I agreed as we shut off our cloakers and continued down the cave.

Except for the lightning, the cave was really dark. In those half seconds when the lightning illuminated the inside, I could see the remains of several shattered gargoyles. I looked over at Silverbolt to make sure he was doing alright. To my amazement, he seemed unaffected by it. He just kept going like it was nothing, searching the cave as if they were no different from the many large rocks scattered within the cave.

"It must be hard," I thought, "To have such a burden on your shoulders."

I looked away to a nearby rock. A bolt of lightning revealed a live gargoyle hiding behind it. Because of the darkness of the cave, all I could see of him was that he was a thin lanky gargoyle with a beak face and some kind of hat that covered the top half of his face. We both jumped at the sight of each other.

"AAAHHHHH!" He screamed in a low nasal-falsetto-sounding voice, "Stay away from me! Don't come any closer! I don't wanna die!"

"You're not gonna die!" I yelled back, "You just about scared me to death with that scream of yours! Don't you know the Hunters could've heard you?!"

"Calm down, Gold," Silverbolt said softly as he stepped up from behind me and looked down at the cowering fool in front of us. "There is no need to be afraid. You are among friends."

He sat there shuttering for a moment before finally speaking up.

"H-h-how do I know this isn't a trick?" he asked with a quiver in his voice, "How do I know I can trust you?"

"If you stay here, you will surely die," Silverbolt explained. "The Hunters will eventually find you and kill you where you sit."

"We can take you to where it's safe," I added as I pulled an extra cloaker out of my pocket, "Where the Hunters won't find you."

He stopped quivering and looked at the cloaker in my talon.

"What is that?" he asked.

"A cloaker," I answered, "It'll disguise you as a human while we get to where we're going."

He looked at it for a few minutes longer before reaching into his front pocket and pulling out what looked like a moist tissue. He covered his claws with it and took the cloaker from me. He then proceeded to wipe the cloaker down with the moist tissue.

"Sanitizing wipes?" I wondered out loud.

"Of course," he said as he continued wiping, "There's no way of knowing what kind of germs collect on these things, so I have to wipe everything down before using it."

"Great, a germaphobe," I thought.

He finished wiping and shoved the wipe in his back pocket. He then finally put the cloaker around his wrist.

"Are we ready to leave now?" I asked impatiently.

"Yes, I guess," He answered and stood up, "But I don't even know your names yet."

"Gold Demona," I replied.

"Silverbolt," Silverbolt added.

"Boober," Said our new friend.

"Alright then," I said as I turned my cloaker back on. "Let's go."

Silverbolt then turned his cloaker back on. It was obvious that Boober paid attention when he hit the button on his cloaker to turn it on.

We walked out of the cave and were met with the open passenger-side door of Mr. Piccolo's truck.

"Quickly, get in," Piccolo said from his place in the driver's seat.

We didn't hesitate in squeezing ourselves into the truck. Then it became apparent that that wasn't such a good idea. The cab of this truck was only designed for three regular-sized passengers, or four very small passengers. Well, there were four of us, and Silverbolt was not a small gargoyle. We would've done something about it if Mr. Piccolo hadn't immediately started driving when we got in. It ended up where the two boys were on the seat and I was on Silverbolt's lap, which wasn't all that comfortable with all those itchy feathers.

In a few short minutes we were back at Mr. Piccolo's garage, safe and sound. As soon as we were stopped, Boober opened the door and leapt out of the truck as fast as he possibly could. When he landed he bent over with his talons to his knees and gasped for air like he hadn't breathed in hours.

"What's the matter?" I asked as I jumped out next.

"I'm claustrophobic," he answered, "I can't stand being in a tight space for very long."

"But it was only for a few minutes," I said.

"A few minutes too long," he replied.

"What matters is we're all safe," Silverbolt said as he stepped out of the truck. "And soon he will be able to leave the country."

"You're serious?" Boober asked. "You mean there's a way out?"

"Of course," Piccolo said as he walked around the truck to us. "You will be on your way out of the country come sundown tomorrow."

He then pulled a bottle of wine out from seemingly nowhere.

"But first, we celebrate. This is a great accomplishment, ah? Our first run of the Crimson Pig Express."

"Crimson Pig?" I repeated, "What he hell kind of name is that?"

"It is the name of one of the greatest seaplane pilots ever to fly in Italy, translated into English. Porco Rosso was his name. He was a bounty hunter in the 1930s that mostly fought air pirates for money. But he also fought for his beliefs. A rebel against the government of a country torn apart by war, refusing to take part in it."

"Seems to me like he was just an unpatriotic pig," I replied.

"He was a man who valued his freedom above all else," Piccolo said, pointing the neck of the wine bottle at me. "That, my dear, is my point. Freedom. That is what this is all about."

"It certainly seems to fit its purpose," Silverbolt replied.

"Freedom," Boober repeated, "Away from the death and the destruction."

"Yes, my friend, freedom," Piccolo said and began walking away, "Let us go to the staying room to celebrate."

"The staying room?" I asked.

"Yes, where you will all be staying for the day."

He opened the door and walked back into the room we'd come in before. We all followed, turning off our cloakers as we entered. He then walked over to a place in the room behind the table where we'd placed the box of cloakers. He bent down and lifted part of the floor up, revealing a hidden basement.

"Come, my friends," he said and went inside, "We will eat. We will drink. We will prepare for your journeys tomorrow."

We followed him down to the staying room below, which was very well lit for being a glorified basement. It was obvious that it was once used as a wine cellar. There were large wooden barrels everywhere. It seemed strange that there would be wine barrels in a place that was once a country known for vodka, not wine, but then I remembered that just because a country was known for one thing didn't mean that was all they made. It was very likely that it was just not a well-known brand of wine.

The room itself was quite large and spacious, even with the large barrels taking up their share of space. There was plenty of room for small clan of gargoyles. To the side, near the wine barrels, was a rectangular dining table with eight chairs around it. In the back of the room were a large fridge and several cabinets.

"So this is the staying room?" I asked on my way down.

"Are these wine barrels yours, Piccolo?" Silverbolt asked as he came in behind me.

"They are now. They came with the place," Piccolo answered. "I'm a mechanic, not a wine brewer. I bought this place because I knew a wine cellar would be perfect for our mission. It seems the barrels had not been touched in many many years, so the wine inside must be very well aged. Ha!"

"Is there anything to drink besides wine?" Boober asked as he came down behind us, "I can't stand alcohol."

"Water," Piccolo answered as he stepped over to the fridge, opened it, and pulled out a bottle of drinking water.

I then noticed that in the corner of this room was a large computer console with lots of blinking lights, and on the screen was a screensaver showing photos of the Italian countryside.

"I suppose that computer in the corner is how you spoke to us earlier tonight?" I asked, pointing to the computer.

"That is correct," he answered as he dug through the lower cabinets and pulled out wine glasses. "That is how I communicate with Mac and with my granddaughter in Aiuto City. She is also a skilled mechanic like her father and myself."

He set four wine glasses down in place on the table, and then the wine bottle and the bottled water. We sat down at the table as Piccolo poured the wine and water. He then set the bottle down on the table and walked over to one of the cabinets. He pulled out a bowl of fruit and set it on the table.

"Because I just moved here, I do not have much," Piccolo explained, "Once I get a steady inflow of money, I will have plenty to feed our hungry travelers."

We each picked up a fruit and began eating. Piccolo sat down and picked up his glass of wine.

"A toast, my friends," he said, holding his glass up.

We lifted our glasses to meet his.

"To the Crimson Pig Express," he said, "May we have many successful runs."

"To the Crimson Pig Express," we all repeated as we clanked our glasses together and sipped our drinks.

I put my glass back down on the table when I heard a beeping coming from the corner of the room. I looked back and saw that the computer screen was flashing.

"Hmm, I'm receiving a call," Piccolo said as he got up off his chair, "It can only be either Mac or my granddaughter, Fio."

He walked over to the computer and pressed a key on the computer. Silverbolt and I got up and followed. The image on the screen flickered and then showed Mac.

"Mr. Pehccolo," she greeted, "Ah seh mah frinds hahve arrived sef ahnd soond."

"Indeed," Piccolo replied, "And we also managed to bring the survivor here without any problems."

"Ixcellent," she said, "Ah scahnned Narth Rohck ahnd foond a smohlll groop ohf gargoyles levvin thir."

"Is it a clan?" Silverbolt asked.

"Ah doon't thenk so, baht thir wosn't a slohtar ripoorted ehn Narth Rohck, so--"

"The band!" Boober interrupted and ran up to where we were. "They're a band of musicians that call themselves Fraggle Rock. They went to North Rock to find a safer place for us to live."

"Fraggle Rock?" I said, "As in the band that disappeared just before the border was locked down?"

"The very same," Boober answered, "Apparently they somehow traveled the country for all these years, entertaining any clans they ran into. Their music's a bit noisy for my taste, but they're nice people."

"At any rate, we must go help them," Silverbolt said, "It's too dangerous for them to be traveling like this. They run a greater risk of getting caught than a stationary clan. It's amazing they made it as long as they did."

"No foolin," I added, "They must be really good at hiding."

"Ah'll gev ye tha coordenets ta wir they are," Mac said and pressed a few buttons, which resulted on something printing up on our side.

Piccolo tore it off after it finished and read it for a bit.

"Hmm," Piccolo said, placing his free hand on his chin.

"What?" I asked.

"Is something wrong?" Silverbolt asked.

"No, nothing is wrong," Piccolo answered, "But with this many gargoyles to pick up, I think it may be easier to wait until daylight. Then I can go and retrieve them as they sleep and bring them in the back of my truck as cargo. You remember how enjoyable the trip here was with the four of us in the cab?"

Boober shuddered upon hearing that.

"I don't think Mr. Claustrophobia will ever forget it," I commented.

"Do whot ya thenk ehs bist," Mac said. "Ah'll seh ye tamoorow night."

"Till tomorrow night," Piccolo said and pressed a key to make the screen blink off of Mac and back to the screensaver it had before.

"So you will wait for daybreak to go find them?" Silverbolt asked.

"I believe that would be best," Piccolo said. "The trip to North Rock is a little longer than the trip to that cave. The sun will be up by the time we get back. I might as well go when it is safe to leave them in the back of my truck so they don't suffocate. It is meant for cargo, not passengers. So it is perfect for daytime retrievals."

"Then I'll go with you," I said, "I'll be human when the sun comes up, so I can leave my cloaker charging here while we go out to get them."

Piccolo nodded with a wide smile on his face.

"Yes, a second pair of hands will be helpful," he said, "I can of course handle it by myself, but it doesn't hurt to have some extra help, ah?"

"Then it's settled," Silverbolt said, "Just be sure to be careful."

"I will," I replied.

"She'll be in good hands, don't you worry," Piccolo assured him, "As well as our musical friends. With the two of us, there won't be a chip missing from them."

"I just hope they'll be alright until then," Boober added, "With the Hunters always out everywhere, who knows what kind of danger they'll put themselves in?"

"If they managed to make it this long," I replied, "I'm sure they can wait another few hours."

"I hope you're right," he said.

"Well until that time comes, my friends," Piccolo said as he walked back to the table and sat down, "I think we should continue celebrating, ah? Since we can do nothing until the sun rises, we might as well have some fun with the free time between now and then."

"Might as well," I agreed as we all followed.

"Yes, I agree," Silverbolt said.

"At the very least a good meal wouldn't hurt," Boober added with a frown.

We all then sat back down at the table and continued picking from the fruit bowl.

It was then that I really got to have a good look at Boober. He was a thin, lanky gargoyle with greenish-gray skin. He had a beak-type face, long pointy ears, and no horns on his head. His wings were like bats wings, but with two fingers at the top, one positioned above the other. He wore tan pants, a white t-shirt, a red scarf around his neck, and a cap on his head, tilted down so his eyes were hidden. His bright red chin-length shaggy hair stuck out all around the bottom of the cap. The red didn't look natural to me, but then again, with hair like mine, who was I to say whose hair was an unnatural color? There was some dark stubble here and there all down his bottom jaw under his beak, which lead me to believe he shaved his face.

He looked up at me when he noticed I was staring at him.

"What?" he asked.

"Oh, nothing," I answered, turning my gaze away.

"People don't stare like that at nothing," he said, "What?"

"I was just noticing the stubble on your beak."

"I shave. Stubble happens. Facial hair is so unsanitary."

I rolled my eyes and went back to the apple I was eating.

"I'm curious, Mr. Piccolo," Silverbolt started.

"Yes, my friend, ask me anything."

"I noticed that your sign says 'Piccolo & Sons', and yet you are the only one here."

"Yes, my sons and I were once a team of mechanics. It was the family business for many many years. But after a while, they had ideas of their own and decided to leave to make business for themselves."

"I'll bet that was hard for you," I added.

"At first, it was," he answered, "But then I realized that times change and all children must eventually go and fend for themselves, and that thought made me proud. One of my sons even went to America and became a successful mechanic there. My granddaughter, Fio, is his daughter."

"She was born in the U.S.?" I asked.

"Yes, she was," he answered, "And she's a very independent young lady. She's only nineteen, but already she can care for herself as well as anyone in the adult world. Working as a mechanic, just like her father and grandfather. Heh heh, which is me."

"What brought her to come to New Liberty?" Silverbolt asked.

"After hearing about my assignment from Mr. Alexander Xanatos, she volunteered her services to our cause. Of course, at first I was against the idea of Fio coming to such a dangerous country. She is so young and naive, but she is related to me, so she is also very stubborn, and would not let me be until I let her come. And despite being so young, she is very smart. She is a lot more skilled as a mechanic than I was at her age. And she has a good sense of what needs done. So I have no worries about whether or not she'll take care of herself."

"Yes, but will she be able to take care of us?" Boober asked.

"Oh of that I have no doubt, my friend," Piccolo answered, "She cares more for others than she does herself, and thus takes better care of others than herself. And since I know she can take care of herself well enough, there is no doubt in my mind that she can take care of you. As a matter of fact that's why she volunteered to do this."

He looked down at his watch and got up from his chair.

"What's wrong?" Silverbolt asked as we watched Piccolo pick up our now-empty glasses.

"It is almost sunrise," he answered, "I must prepare the truck for the cargo I will be carrying. I need to load the proper equipment so that there are no mistakes. You may sleep in here. Since you have Mac's wonderful cloaker devices, I know you'll be safe."

"Should I just meet you out by the truck after the sun comes up?" I asked.

"Yes, that will be fine." He answered as he finished putting stuff away and walked to the stairs, "I will have the truck running by that time so we can go immediately."

With that he went up and out of sight.

"Yes, I do feel that sunrise is approaching," Silverbolt said as he got up from his chair, "Are you certain you'll be alright, Gold?"

"I'll be fine," I assured him. "It shouldn't be too hard to retrieve a bunch of statues."

"Be careful at any rate, ok?" Boober said and got up from his chair, "You never know what could happen out there, with the Hunters, and the humans, and the germs."

I rolled my eyes.

"What?" he said, "It's true!"

"Nevermind," I said and got up from my chair. "Hope you guys have a good sleep."

"Will you sleep at all today?" Silverbolt asked.

"I'll probably sleep when we get back from getting the band," I answered as I headed for the stairs. "I'm sure Piccolo has a couch or something I can crash on."

"Wait, I am very confused," Boober said. "You said you turn into a human during the day, right?"

"Yeah, that's right." I said.

"But… How? I just don't get it."

"Join the club," I said as I started my climb up.

As I reached the top, I heard the crackling of stone as my friends behind me became statues. I stopped where I was as my body began rearranging itself.

After I was done, I felt a draft on my behind. Then I realized something.

"I forgot to bring a change of bottoms," I thought in annoyance. "Damn it all."

I went back down the stairs to look for something to wrap around my waist and cover the hole in my pants where my tail was. I couldn't find anything.

"Well, my cloaker still has some juice left," I said to myself, "I can use up what's left of it and ask Piccolo to loan me something."

I turned on my cloaker and went back up the stairs. I opened the door to find Mr. Piccolo looking up at me with a pair of women's jeans slung over his arm.

"I hope these fit you," he said, "They belong to my granddaughter, and she looks to be the same size as you."

"Are you a mind reader or something?"

"No no no, nothing like that," he said, waving his free hand at me, "I realized you would need a change of pants when I remembered that you turned into a human during the day but brought nothing with you but a box of cloakers."

He handed me the pants and started walking away.

"The truck is ready to go," he said. "We can leave whenever you are ready."

"Okay," I said as I watched him leave.

My cloaker then started beeping.

"Well, that was pointless," I said to myself as I turned my cloaker off and shut the door.

I went back down the stairs and took my pants off. I picked up the pants Piccolo gave me and put them on. Amazingly, they fit perfectly.

I left my cloaker to charge and went back up the stairs. I exited to the garage, where Piccolo was waiting in the driver's seat of his truck. I climbed in and buckled in.

"Thank you," I said, rather embarrassed.

"Don't mention it, my dear," he said as he shifted the gears and started moving the truck, "You can thank my granddaughter Fio for leaving some of her clothes in my luggage."

We rode out of the garage and started our long drive to North Rock.


	4. Chapter 3: Our Clan, Part III

Gold Demona

**Chapter III**

Our Clan: Part III

(Gold Demona)

(Couple hours later…) (2110 A.D.)

The bumping of the road was lulling me to sleep. There wasn't any music because the truck's radio was broken, and Piccolo and I hadn't spoken since we left the garage. It made me feel awkward, especially since I was wearing his granddaughter's pants.

"Is something bothering you, my dear?" he asked, breaking the awkward silence.

"Did Mr. Xanatos tell you about me being human during the day?"

"Yes, he told me much about you," he answered, "He also told me that you grew up in an orphanage in California. That must've been interesting."

"Yeah, it was. The orphanage was run by five women, all of which wanted to be my mother. They were also teachers, so the orphanage was also a school. They found me as an egg left at their doorstep with a note from someone claiming to be my guardian angel."

"Really?" he said, "Guardian angel, ah?"

"Yeah, the note said to raise me well and keep me hidden and safe until I could take care of myself."

"Well, it seems they've done a good job of doing such," he said.

"Yeah, they were really protective of me. They never let me out during the day, so nobody ever saw me as a human. And the only other kids at the orphanage that ever saw me were gargoyle kids. Through the years I saw kids come and go. Left behind and then adopted later. I guess since my moms were so close to me, I didn't mind that I was never considered for adoption."

"They must've been very close to you for you to call them your mothers and not just your caretakers."

"Well, it was kind of a rule they had. All the kids had to call them mama."

"Oh," he sad as his face went stern.

"It's strange, I know. They were all a really weird bunch. But they were really good to me. I wouldn't trade them for anything in the world."

"Well, that's good. It's always good to be raised by someone who cares for you."

"Yeah."

"So, how did you end up coming to New Liberty?" he asked.

"One day, Mr. Xanatos came to the orphanage and recruited me for this mission. Of course my moms objected to it, because it's so dangerous. But he assured them that I'd be alright. And after hearing what needed to be done, I couldn't refuse. These people need help, and if Alexander Fox Xanatos thinks I can do it, then I'll do it."

"Yes, it is difficult to argue with Mr. Xanatos. He seems to always know what is best."

"I guess," I said as I looked out the window and noticed that we were in a city, "Hey, is this North Rock?"

"Yes it is," he answered, "All that is left is to find the area where our band is hiding."

"Think they might still be at the coordinates Mac gave us?"

"I don't see why they wouldn't be. It was quite late when she gave us the coordinates, so it is a safe bet that they spent the rest of the evening settling for the day."

"Let's hope that bet's right. Where is it anyway?"

"Oh, not too far now. It's in a fairly unpopulated area of the city. Close to where the city ends and the country begins. Most of the people that live there are former Russians."

"Part of the old Russian civilization."

"Precisely."

"And how exactly are we gonna find them?"

"Mac gave me a copy of her gargoyle tracking program," he answered and then pointed to a device on his dashboard, "and I installed it into the GPS unit you see here on the dash."

"A GPS unit?"

"Well, it used to be one. But I modified it to be a portable scanner. So it should start making noise when we get close to our target."

Then I heard some squeaks and beeps coming out of it.

"Just like that," Piccolo said. "Now it will pinpoint where they are and lead us right to them."

"That's amazing," I said.

"Not really. It wasn't any different from installing the program into any other computer. It is simply a much smaller computer."

"At any rate, it's really handy. I just hope we're not too late."

"Yes, I agree."

He then stopped the truck in front of an old abandoned-looking barn.

"This is it," he said.

"This crappy-looking place?" I asked.

"Yes, this crappy-looking place," he replied as he opened his door to get out, "What, you think they'd be staying at a hotel or something?"

"Well no," I said as I opened my door and got out.

By the time I got behind the truck, Piccolo had already pulled out the ramp and started lifting the door open. There wasn't a lot inside. There were straps and pads all over the walls. In the middle stood a contraption that resembled an electric pallet jack, but with a conveyer belt instead of the usual lifting fork. There were thick sturdy straps wrapped up and hung on the handle of the jack. From the base of the jack there was a backing covered in thick soft padding.

"Is there a reason you have a pallet jack that thinks it's a treadmill?" I asked.

"Pallet jacks are for pallets," he said as he stepped inside the truck and grabbed the handle of the jack, "This jack I built especially for carrying gargoyle statues. The conveyer belt is so we can easily get the gargoyle onto the jack. The padding on the backing is so they aren't bumping into the hard metal. And the straps of course are to tie them down to the jack."

"Oh," I replied.

"We must hurry," he said as he pulled the pallet jack out, "We have four statues to collect, and they must be in the wine cellar by sundown."

"Right," I said as I followed him into the barn.

And there, plain as day in the middle of the empty barn, were four fully intact gargoyles statues. Two male, two female. The four of them were carrying musical instruments. One female, one with large poofy pigtails, carried a guitar. The other, a very tall female with long poofy hair, carried a tambourine. One male, a medium-build male with short hair, carried an acoustic guitar. The other, a thin lanky male with a big nose, carried a pair of drumsticks in his hands and a marching drum hung from his neck.

"What were they thinking just standing around in the open like that?" I wondered out loud.

"I was just thinking the same thing," Piccolo said, "It is a good thing we got here first, ah?"

"No kidding."

He brought the jack around to one of the males and gently lined the jack up with his feet. He then set his foot on the base of the jack and pulled down what looked like a pair of doorstops. He grabbed one of the straps on the jack and reeled it out.

"What do you want me to do?" I asked.

"Hold the jack in place while I strap our friend here."

I walked over and held the backing of the jack so it wouldn't move as Piccolo brought the jack around the statue and back to the jack. He clicked the end of the strap in place and walked back to the handle.

"Now, go over in front of him and make sure he does not fall."

I let go of the jack and walked around to the front so I could watch. Piccolo pressed a button on the handle, which made the conveyer belt start moving and the strap begin to tighten. I brought my hands up to him to make sure he stayed steady as he was lifted onto the jack. When he got to the end of the belt and the strap couldn't tighten anymore, Piccolo pressed the button again to make it stop.

"Excellent," he said. "It works perfectly."

"You mean this is the first time you've ever tried this?"

"Of course it is. You think I make it a habit to move gargoyles in their sleep?"

"No, but I'd think you would've tested this thing before bringing out on a real job."

"Bah! I have no statues to test it on! What do you want me to do, not bring it and have us lift these two thousand pound statues with our bare hands?"

"I guess not."

"Then stop your bellyaching. It works, and that is all that matters."

"Fine," I said as I stuck my hands into my pants pockets.

Piccolo then pressed another button that made the belt lift upwards, raising our statue two or three inches off the ground. He then began walking, dragging the jack behind him.

"Need help with that?" I offered.

"I'm fine," he said, "It is an electric jack, so I can press a button to make it go the speed I want it to."

"Oh," I replied as I followed him back to his truck.

He pulled the jack up the ramp, and I stayed behind it to make sure the statue didn't fall on its way up. He pulled it into the truck, picked a spot by the highly padded wall, and lowered the jack. He pressed a button and started the conveyer again, but this time going the other way. He gently set the statue down on the floor of the truck, unstrapped him from the jack, and strapped him to the padded wall.

"There," he said, "Perfect. One down, three to go."

"Awesome," I said as we prepared for another trip.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(A few hours later…)

It was late afternoon and we were still on our way back. It took us forever to get everyone into the truck, especially the tall female.

"If she hadn't kept trying to topple over, we would've been back already," I thought.

"How close are we to home?" I asked, getting kind of annoyed at how late it was.

"Worrying about it won't get us there any faster, so calm down."

"You're right, but I can't help it."

"I know, my dear. It must not be easy being one race for half of the day and another race for the other half."

"No foolin'."

"Anyway, you will only have to wait a few more minutes. We are almost there."

"Good."

We entered the city and made our way back to the garage. I got out and ran to the back of the truck. Piccolo got there right after I did. He pulled out the ramp and lifted the door open. He unstrapped all the statues from the wall and pulled the jack out of the truck.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"They'll be fine waking up in there," he answered. "Since we are not transporting them, they won't suffocate. And since the garage door is shut, nobody will see them. It will be fine."

"If you say so," I said as I turned around and started on my way inside.

"You're not going to stay and watch them wake up?" Piccolo asked.

"I'm gonna go change my pants and watch my friend wake up, if you don't mind."

"Ah, I see. Go ahead. You know where everything is."

"Thanks."

I walked inside and went down to the wine cellar, where Silverbolt and Boober were sleeping. I took off the pants I was borrowing and put my own pants on. When I was done, I heard the statues start to crack.

"Just in time," I said to myself.

I watched as the cracks on the statues grew around their bodies and flakes of stone exploded from them, releasing the flesh-and-blood gargoyles from inside. While this was going on, my body had begun to change as it always did. I braced myself and waited for it to end. When it was done, I looked up and saw Silverbolt standing over me.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"Yeah," I answered, "Just the nightly change, that's all."

"Well, I take it your mission was a success?"

"Oh yeah, we got all four of 'em."

"You did?! Where are they?" Boober asked with excitement.

"They're upstairs waking up in Piccolo's truck."

Boober didn't hesitate to rush past us and up the stairs.

"What was that all about?" I wondered out loud.

"I haven't a clue," Silverbolt answered as we started our way back up the stairs and to the garage.

When we got there, we found Boober in the middle of a group hug with the whole band.

"Red, Gobo, Wembley, Mokey! You're all safe!"

"Of course we are, Boober," said the golden yellow female with the bright red poofy pigtails. "We've managed to get by THIS long without getting smashed."

She wore a bright red sweater that matched her hair and a pair of jean shorts. She had brow ridges each with two bumps at the ends. She had no elbow or knee spurs, and her wings were like bat wings but with small three-fingered hands at the top.

"You should have more faith in us, eh?" said the brownish-orange male with the guitar and the short slick-back purple hair. He spoke with a Canadian accent.

He wore a pair of loose tan shorts and a yellow sweater with red stripes under a brown vest. He had knee spurs but no elbow spurs, and his wings were just average bat-type wings. His brow ridge extended and curled up into sort of dragon-like horns.

"Yeah, Boober. We know how to take care of ourselves," said the yellowish-green male with the big nose and poofy bleach-blonde hair.

He wore an open white shirt that had little green palm trees all over it and a pair of plain tan shorts. His nose was abnormally large, almost covering his mouth, which smiled a friendly smile. His hair poofed in very direction, and it was long ontop and got shorter as it got to the bottom of his head. He had two horns sticking straight back out of his hair. His wings were of the kind that was like a pterodactyl's, which were long and not spiky.

"But we're glad you were so concerned for our safety, Boober." Said the very tall lavender female with the long green hair. "Because it is a display of how much you care."

She wore a large greenish-gray sweater that went down to her calves, over a purple turtleneck shirt and a pair of jeans. She towered over the others. I guessed at least six and a half feet tall. Her wings seemed to droop down a little but still come up to where wings usually went up. She had a sweet face, almost human in appearance, except for the two horns extending straight backwards from her forehead through her poofy hair.

"Their hair colors are wackier than mine," I thought.

"You apparently all know each other well enough," Piccolo said with a big smile. "Let's all step inside so we can get everything organized."

"First, I wanna know where the hell we are," said the pigtailed redhead as she whipped around and glared at Piccolo.

"Red, calm down, eh?" said the guitar guy.

"Can it, Gobo," Red spat back at him, "We were dragged here in our sleep, and I think that's rude."

"Well, Boober seems to be comfortable here, so it can't be a bad place," said Big-nose.

"Yeah, Wembley's right, eh?" Gobo said, "Boober's got a good sense what's dangerous and what's not."

"You have no idea," Boober said, putting his talon on his head.

"HA! Most times TOO good," Red spat back. "He still shaves his face because he's scared he'll catch germs in his beard if he ever grew it out. He's the only one out of the five of us who CAN grow a beard. You know how many male gargoyles in the world have the ability to grow a beard? HUH? One out of every fifty! And--"

As Red kept going with her argument, the tall female walked past them and approached Boober.

"Boober," she said.

"Yes, Mokey?" Boober replied.

"Where is the rest of your clan?"

He looked down to the floor and stuck his talons in his pants pockets. His lip curled into a sneer.

"Oh no. They weren't…?" Mokey started but couldn't finish, raising her talon up to her mouth.

Boober only nodded.

"Oh, Boober," she sobbed and slowly wrapped her arms and wings around him.

He didn't move, except to raise his talon out from his pocket and up to her arm, and then there were tears running down the sides of his beak. Then all of a sudden, Red had nothing to argue about. She, Gobo, and Wembley walked over to Boober. Gobo laid a talon on him as Mokey continued sobbing for him.

I looked up at Silverbolt, who in turn looked down at me. Neither of us could think of anything to say, but I could tell that Silverbolt wanted to really badly. I didn't blame him, because he went through the exact same thing, except he didn't have a group of close friends to console him.

"Is there anything we can do for you, Boober?" Wembley asked.

"Yeah, eh," Gobo replied, "Anything at all. Just say so."

Boober then lifted his head, looking up at Gobo.

"Let's get out of here, okay?" he sobbed.

"Get out of here? Whaddaya mean?" Red said.

"This place," he answered, "These people. They're here to help us. They can get us out of this horrible country. They rescued me from that cave my clan was staying in."

Mokey sniffed one last sniff and lifted her head back up.

"Really?" Gobo said as he looked over to us.

Piccolo nodded.

"There's a way out…" Red trailed.

"Hey! We won't have to wander anymore," Wembley pointed out.

"That's wonderful!" Mokey said and then looked back at Boober. "We promise you, Boober. We'll be here for you. You don't have to be alone in this."

"That's right, we gotta stick together," Wembley agreed.

"You've always been one of us, and you always will be," Red said.

Boober smiled and looked around at all his friends.

"Thank you," he said, "All of you."

"Hey, no problem, eh," Gobo replied, "That's what we're here for."

"So what's this whole business about getting us out of here?" Red asked, looking to us.

"I will explain everything once we're all inside," Piccolo answered and began walking to the door.

We all followed him as he entered. We went back down to the wine cellar and sat around the table.

"I think now would be a good time for everyone to introduce themselves," Piccolo said as he started placing glasses around the table. "I am Mr. Piccolo. I am part of the plot to get all the gargoyles out of New Liberty, which I will explain in further detail after everyone is introduced. It is obvious that we all know Boober, so he does not need introduction. Gold, why don't we start with you?"

"Uh, sure," I gulped nervously and looked around at everyone. "Hi, I'm Gold Demona. I'm sort of helping out with this little plot."

"I am Silverbolt," Silverbolt said, "I too am helping to get everyone out."

"That's freakin awesome," Red said, "I'm Red. I'm the band's bass player. Well, right now I am anyway. I play whatever's handy at the time."

"I'm Wembley," Wembley said as he pulled out his drumsticks and started drumming on the drum he wore around his neck, "And I'm the percussion. I normally have a much bigger drum set, but this is good for all the moving around we've been doing."

He stopped drumming when he finished.

"I'm Mokey. Normally, I would play the piano, but that's rather difficult when you do a lot of countryside traveling."

"Heh, yeah no kidding, eh?" Gobo said, "I'm Gobo, lead guitarist and vocalist. Together we're Fraggle Rock."

"Yeah, I've heard of you," I said, "You're really popular. Your popularity boomed up after you disappeared."

"Well that just figures," Red grumbled as she rolled her eyes, "The world likes us better when we're not around."

"Yer just never satisfied, are ya Red?" Gobo asked.

"Hey, what do you think everyone's reactions will be when we get back, huh?" Wembley asked.

"They'll probably welcome us with open arms," Mokey said, "If we're really as popular as she says we are."

"They'll probably wonder where the hell you've been," I added.

"That's why we're gonna speak up and say what's goin on around here," Gobo said, "The whole world has to know about this, eh. We can't take this sitting down."

"But how do you expect to get the message across, Gobo?" Boober asked, "It's not like the U.N. is gonna listen to a bunch of musicians."

"Through song, Boober," Mokey answered, "We will write songs of the death and destruction and all the other terrible things that are going on here."

"That is an excellent idea," Silverbolt said, "Music is the international language, and if you send such an important message, someone will be sure to hear it."

"Exactly," Gobo replied, "But before we can do any of that, we have to get out of the country."

"And that is where we come in," Piccolo said, bringing another bottle of whine and one bottle of water for Boober. "I know Boober would rather have water, but does anyone else object to wine?"

"I'm more of a beer person myself, eh, but if that's all ya have," Gobo answered.

"I would love some wine," Mokey answered.

"Well, I guess I'll have some, too," Wembley said.

"I'll bet I can outdrink all of ya," Red said and raised her fist high above her head, "POUR THE WINE!"

"This isn't a drinking contest, Red," Gobo said.

"You're no fun, Gobo. I swear," Red pouted. "If Boober wasn't such a BOOB, I'd say he's more fun than you."

"Hey!" Boober yelled.

"Well, it's true," she said, "You're the most boring gargoyle I've ever known."

"I like boring," Boober stated as Piccolo handed him his bottle of water, "It's stable, it's safe, and it works."

"Sure, if you never want to do anything fun," Red said.

"Geez, Red," Gobo said, "Can we go two minutes without you arguing about somethin'? What's with you tonight? Are you PMSing?"

"I woke up in the back of a truck, Gobo. I'm a little grumpy. And PMS is a thing human women go through."

"Well, whatever it is, get over it, eh? We're among friends."

"Hmph!" Red pouted.

"Alright then," Gobo said and looked to us, "She's usually not so rude, eh? We've all had a long and tiring journey, and it would be nice to get back to friendly civilization."

Piccolo finished pouring the last glass of wine, which was his own, and sat down at the table with us. He pulled a folded piece of paper out of his pocket and unfolded it in front of us. He laid it on the table, revealing that it was a map of New Liberty. There were some X's marked on the map. One of them was Paradigm City, where we lived, and another, much farther north, was South Rock, where we were. One other X was even further north between here and the northern border of the country, marking Aiuto City, where Piccolo's granddaughter was staying. There were several other X's all over the country, but I had no idea where they were, or who was there.

"Now, this is where we are right now," Piccolo said, pointing to the South Rock X, "To leave the country is a two night trip from here. You must first take a bus to Aiuto City, where my granddaughter Fio will receive you and keep you for the day. After that, you take another bus out of the border."

"Yeah, easier said than done," Red said, "It's not like we can just waltz onto a bus and take it out of here. We'd be shot at if we even stepped out into the street."

Piccolo looked over to Silverbolt and me. We nodded and turned on our cloakers. All but Boober dropped their jaws when they saw it. We turned our cloakers off and looked back at Piccolo.

"That is the coolest thing I've ever seen in my life," Red said and then looked to Boober, "Boober! Do YOU have one of those things?"

"Yes," he answered and lifted his arm to show her the cloaker on his wrist.

"If this were Mac's lab in Paradigm City, she could make you a cloaker personalized to your genetic code so the cloak would be like the human version of yourself, like the one Silverbolt is wearing. However, I do not have that capability here, so you'll just have to settle for a cloak of one of her students."

"Well, we only need it to get out of the country, eh," Gobo said, "So as long as it works, that's just fine by me. What about you guys?"

"I don't mind at all," Mokey said.

"It's fine with me if it's fine with you, Gobo," Wembley said.

"Well, it's not fine with me," Red said. "Now I'm curious. I wanna know what I look like as a human."

"If you haven't noticed, Red, Paradigm City's way out of the way," Gobo pointed out, "It's in the exact opposite direction from where we're going."

"Well..." She said with a pause, "Then I'll stay and help. Yeah. If I can use this cloaker thing as a tool to help here, then why not? The rest of you can go and write songs about my heroic deeds."

Gobo let out a long sigh, "Okay, if that's what ya wanna do, Red."

"You can't stay!" Boober yelled, "You know what's out there! There's Hunters, and humans, and---"

"If the next word out of your beak is 'germs', I'm gonna deck you," Red said, holding a tightened fist up for Boober to see.

Boober then stayed quiet for a moment, then he looked back up.

"Then I'm going with you," he said.

"What?" All four of them said and looked over to Boober in shock.

"You heard me, I'm staying with Red."

"Are you sure about that, Boober?" Mokey asked.

"Yeah," Wembley said, "You said so yourself, Boober. There's Hunters, and humans, and--"

"Do NOT say 'germs'," Red demanded.

"I know what I said," Boober said, "But Red is incredibly reckless, and I know that she'll get herself into more trouble than she can handle and end up getting herself killed. I won't let that happen. So I'm staying with her."

"Alright, Boober," Gobo said, "If that's what you wanna do, then go for it."

"We will sing about your heroism," Mokey said.

"Yeah, and the brave stuff, too," Wembley added.

"Silver, Gold. What do you two think of this?" Piccolo asked. "After all, if they go to Paradigm City, they would be going with you."

"I don't have any objections," Silverbolt said, "What about you, Gold?"

"I don't see why not," I said, "There's still plenty of space in the statue room. And I'm sure Vaala wouldn't mind two more gargoyles in the apartment."

"Then it's settled," Red said, "From now on, we're roomies."

"Then lets get everything ready," Piccolo said as he folded up the map. "If you are to leave tonight, then you must go within the next two hours."

"Yeah, I have work tomorrow, so I can't stay another day," I said.

"Well, we've got no time to lose," Gobo said. "Let's get going."

So we all got up from our seats at the table and started with preparations.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(An hour or so later…)

We were all standing in the living room, just beside the door, everyone with cloakers on their wrists. Gobo, Mokey, and Wembley stood to one side while Red, Boober, Silverbolt, and I stood to another side. Piccolo stood on the far side of all of us.

"So this is it, eh?" Gobo said, adjusting the guitar strapped to his back.

"Yeah," Red said.

"Again," Boober added.

"We'll see each other again," Wembley said with an innocent confidence.

"Yes, when this is all done, we'll be together again," Mokey said.

"And we'll write our reunion album and make millions," Red added.

Gobo put his talon to his face and let out a loud groan.

"I'm kidding, sheesh!" She said. "At least about the millions."

She then extended her talon out in front of everyone.

"We WILL write a reunion album as soon as we're back together."

Gobo then smiled and nodded.

"Yeah, that's a promise," he said as he placed his talon on hers.

"Our prayers are with you," Mokey said as she placed her talon ontop of Gobo's and then looked up at us, "All of you."

"Yeah, come back to us soon, ok?" Wembley said as he placed his talon ontop of Mokey's.

They all looked up at Boober, who stood there looking back at them.

"What?" he said.

"As much as you wanna deny it, Boober," Gobo said, "Yer one of us."

He looked down at the collection of talons. Slowly, he placed his talon ontop of the rest.

"Until we meet again," he said, looking up at everyone else.

"Till we meet again," Red agreed with a grin.

"Rock on, Fraggles," Gobo said.

"Rock on!" All but Boober said in unison as they parted talons.

Piccolo came up holding three cards in his hand.

"These are for you," he said to Gobo's group and handed each of them a card.

"What're these?" Wembley asked.

"False identification," Piccolo answered. "I made one to match each of your cloakers. You will need them when you reach the border. They are flawless. The guards won't know the difference."

"How can you be so sure?" Boober asked.

"A little something Mac put together. It will create perfect identification cards that perfectly emulate the real thing. Even the Prime Ruler cannot tell the difference. I know this because Mac tested this herself. Creating an identification card for herself and using it to enter the country. Had it failed, she would have surely been killed."

"Good thing Mac's a genius, then," I pointed out.

"Oh yes. For that we must all be very grateful," Piccolo said, "It is because of her genius that this is all possible. But that is beside the point. You three know what you need to do next, yes?"

"Yeah, we take the bus to Auito City," Gobo said, "And look for a girl with a sign reading Crimson Pig."

"That is correct. After that, Fio will tell you what needs to be done to exit the country."

"Alright then," Gobo replied and then looked up at Red and Boober, "We'll see ya round, eh?"

"Yeah," Red replied.

"When this is all over," Boober said.

Mokey went up and hugged the both of them.

"We'll miss you both," She said, "Take care"

"You know we will, Mokey," Boober said as she released them and walked back.

Wembley then stepped up and approached Boober.

"Boober?" he said.

"Yeah, Wembley?" Boober replied.

"You'll come back, right?" he asked, "For real this time?"

Boober looked at him for a moment.

"I don't know, Wembley," he answered finally. "We'll just see what happens I guess."

"Well, I hope you come back," he said as he stepped backwards. "It's not the same without you."

Gobo opened the door and looked up at us.

"Take care of yourselves, eh," Gobo said, "All of you."

We nodded and waved as they turned on their cloakers and walked out the door.

"Wait," Piccolo called.

"What?" Gobo asked as they were half out the door.

Piccolo walked up holding a small box and handed it to Wembley.

"Here, I need you to take this to my granddaughter. It is a box of cloakers. She may need them if she finds any gargoyles on her end."

"Okay, I'll take 'em," Wembley said with a smile, "You can count on me."

"I know I can. Have a safe journey."

"Thanks, we will," Gobo said as they got out the rest of the way and disappeared into the outside. When they were all gone, Piccolo looked up at us.

"Well, my friends," he said, "It appears the time has now come for us to part ways."

"It was a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Piccolo," Silverbolt said as he held his talon up to Piccolo.

Piccolo took it and shook it.

"The pleasure is all mine, my friend."

He then went up to Red and Boober.

"This mission is a dangerous one," he said, "There is no turning back now. Are you prepared for the horrors you might face?"

"I'm ready for anything," Red answered. "I'll take whatever they dish out."

"That's what I'm afraid of," Boober replied.

"Well, you two won't be alone in this. You have each other and you have the others back home where you're going."

He stepped back away from them and approached me.

"My dear, it was an absolute pleasure to get to know you," he said and shook my talon.

"I hope we can get together again when things aren't so crazy," I replied.

"Heh, so do I," he replied and stepped back.

We walked over to the door. Silverbolt opened it and stepped aside to allow the rest of us to step out first. We turned on our cloakers and stepped outside. Piccolo came out behind us.

"Give my regards to Mac when you get there," he said.

"We will," Silverbolt said as we started walking away, "Farewell."

"Good-bye, my friends," Piccolo called, "Have a safe journey home."

"We will," I called back. "Bye!"

And so we went on our way back home. In the distance we could hear a guitar playing and a voice singing.

"Every day the world begins again," it sang, "Sunny skies or rain. Come and follow me."

"That Gobo," Red chuckled, "Always breaking into song."

"He still does that?" Boober said.

"Always," Red said.

"Every sunrise shows me more and more," she sang along, "So much to explore. Come and follow me."

And so we were on our way back home, both traveling parties breaking into song. Even long after we couldn't hear Gobo's guitar anymore.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Four and a half hours later…)

We got back to the apartment, and I was exhausted. It was late at night, and I realized that I hadn't had a wink of sleep for almost two straight days.

"I need sleep," I said as I pulled my apartment key out of my pocket.

"You didn't sleep earlier today?" Silverbolt asked in concern.

"Didn't have time," I answered. "Took too long to get everybody in the truck. Mokey's so tall she kept trying to topple over. We didn't get back to the garage till almost sundown."

"So you haven't had any sleep at all in the last two days?" Boober asked.

"None. So as soon as we're inside, I'm hitting the sack."

"So you're awake during the day?" Red asked.

"I'll explain it to you later, Red," Boober said.

"Thanks Boober," I said as I turned the doorknob and opened the door.

"We're home!" I called as we entered the apartment.

"You're home!" I heard Markl call as he ran up and hugged me. Krypto wasn't far behind. He ran up panting with his tongue hanging out and wagging his tail.

"Hey Markl," I greeted and then turned to Krypto, who proceeded to get up on his hind legs to try and lick my face. "Hey Krypto! Down boy!"

"Let's get all the way in the doorway before we continue the greetings," Silverbolt suggested as he me nudged forward.

"Yeah," I agreed and started walking to the living room as we all turned off our cloakers. "Hey, where's Vaala?"

"She's with Mac in the lab," he said. "I was just watching the cartoon channel, waiting for you to come home. Who are they?"

I turned around as he noticed Red and Boober behind me.

"New friends we picked up," I answered. "Let's go down to the lab and say hi."

"Okay," Markl said as he ran over to the TV.

"This apartment is small," Boober pointed out. "All of you live here?"

"Yep," I answered.

Markl then pulled the TV back and opened the door for us.

"That must be a pretty light TV for being so huge," Red said. "Why'd he move it?"

"You'll see," Silverbolt said as we started walking there.

Markl then ran in and disappeared into the penthouse. We followed and went around the TV to go inside. Red and Boober followed us around the TV.

"WHAT THE HELL?!" Red blurted as she saw the opening into the penthouse.

"I guess this apartment's not so small," Boober said.

We all then went down to the lab, where Mac was sitting at the same computer she was at before. Vaala was sitting backwards in a chair behind her. Markl and Krypto walked in and we all followed.

"Ah!" Boober shrieked as soon as he entered, "This place is a pig stye!"

Vaala, upon hearing Boober's shriek, looked over to us and hopped up out of her chair.

"It's about damn time you got back!" She yelled as she walked up to me. "You know how bored I was? I've gotten so bored, I'm actually trying to figure out what the hell she's looking at on that screen."

"Ah've explenned eht to ya sivvaral times," Mac said as she got up from her seat and started walking to us. "Eht's a binary reprissentehshun ohf Goold's genetic cood."

"Yeah, I got that, but I still don't understand it," she said.

"And why are you looking at MY genetic code?" I asked.

"Behcos," she answered, "Ah fahnd eht bahffling thaht ye hahve two sepirate sits ohf DNA. One far ich hahlf ohf tha deh. Ah'm tryin' ta fegure oot how thaht ehs possible."

"Well, when you find out, let me know," I said, "Cuz I've been trying to figure that out my whole life."

I then heard a noise from somewhere in the corner. We all turned around and saw Boober scrounging though some stuff.

"Good God, how can anyone work like this?" he said.

"TEHK YAR HAHNDS OHFF THOOS PEHPARS THES ENSTANT!" Mac shrieked at the top of her lungs as Boober was picking up some papers from the table.

Boober cringed and stopped what he was doing.

"Drohp eht!" Mac demanded.

Boober obeyed. Mac walked over to Boober and grabbed him by his long pointy ear.

"Ah-ah-ah!!!" He said as he writhed in pain.

Mac started walking to the door, still firmly holding Boober's ear.

"Damn, Boober!" Red said as Mac and Boober passed by, "You haven't been in here five minutes and you're already pissing people off with your neat freak habbits."

"I couldn't help it! OW!" he said to Red. "I can't handle such a mess."

"Ye woon't hahve ta hahndle eht ehf ya nivvar cohm ehn here aggin!" Mac replied as she dragged Boober out the door and tossed him. "Ahnd steh oot!"

"Ah-ha-ow," he whined as he rubbed his ear.

"Are you ok?' I asked.

"I will be," he answered, still rubbing his ear.

"Ok, so who are you?" Vaala asked from behind us.

"I'm Red," Red answered, pointing to herself, "And the idiot that just got booted out is Boober."

"Boober?" Vaala laughed. "His name is BOOBer?"

"Yeah, what of it?!" He yelled from outside the lab.

"Nothing, I just think it sounds funny," Vaala said.

"Fine, laugh if you want," he yelled, "It's not like nobody's ever made fun of my name before. Geez, this was a bad idea."

"You big baby," Red yelled and went out to where Boober was, "Come here. Let me see that ear."

"Ow! Red!" Boober yelled.

I turned back around and saw Mac and Silverbolt picking up the papers that Boober had picked up and dropped.

"So what's the paperwork for?" I asked.

"Eht's rihsearch ohn a priveht prohjict Ah'm doin'," Mac answered, "Ah hahd eht ehn a partehcular ordar, and now Ah hahve ta organize eht ohl aggin."

"A private project," I repeated, "Must be important."

"Eht ehs ta meh anyweh," she said. "Ah doon't like mah wark mengled weth, espihcially mah private wark."

"I guess that makes sense," I said.

Mac took the papers that Silverbolt picked up and set all of it on the table where it was.

"Thank ye Selvar," she said.

"My pleasure," he said and walked out. "I'll be in the statue room if anyone needs me."

"I'll probably head to bed before too long," I said, "So I'll so you tomorrow night."

"Till tomorrow night then," he said and disappeared out of the lab.

Mac then walked up to me.

"Ah thenk perhahps Ah wos a bet harsh weth tha lahd jost now," she said.

"I'd say so," Vaala replied, "Just how hard were you gripping his ear?"

"Ah dedn't thenk Ah wos holdin eht thaht tightleh," she said.

"He's just being a baby," Red said as she came back in. "He'll be fine."

"Good," Mac said. "He hahd meh thenken Ah brook hehs ear jost now."

"Give him a days rest, and he'll be back to his normal boring self. Well, we're gonna follow Silver to that statue room he mentioned, and we'll see you all tomorrow."

"Later Red," I said.

"Later," she said as she disappeared out of the lab.

"Don't worry too much about it, Mac," I said, "I'm pretty sure he'll get over it."

"Good," she said, "Ah knoo mah timpar cahn git tha bist of meh aht times. Thes wos no defferent."

I opened my mouth and let out a big yawn.

"Hahve ye hahd any slep sence ya lift?"

"Nope," I answered, "I need to sleep."

"Then go to sleep," Vaala said. "You have to work tomorrow, so you need to be rested."

"Yeah, I know," I said as I turned around to leave. "See you tomorrow."

"Later, Gold," Vaala said.

"G'night," Mac said.

"Good night, Gold," Markl said.

"Good night," I replied as I exited the lab.

I walked back through the hall and through the penthouse door back through the living room and into my bedroom.

I didn't even bother changing before flopping into bed and going to sleep.


	5. Chapter 4: A Shot In The Dark

Gold Demona

**Chapter IV**

A Shot In The Dark

(Who?)

(A month or so later…) (2110 A.D.)

It was dark. Really dark. I could barely see the bars of the cramped cage I was being kept in. The only thing I could see clearly was the lit end of the bent cigarette in my beak. I'd tried breaking the bars before, but it never worked. The cage was bolted to the wall, so we couldn't move them at all. We were being transported in a helicopter to someplace, so firing my Magnum to open the lock would've been a bad idea. I looked over to my partner in the next cage, who just sat there calmly smoking his cigarette and wearing a big smug grin on his face.

"Man, we've gotta pick better hiding places to sleep in for the day," I said to him to break the silence.

He took the cigarette out of his mouth and let out a big puff of smoke.

"What are you worried about?" he asked, "Any minute now, Goemon will come and cut everything to pieces with his sword like he always does, and we'll be outta here. Business as usual."

"Yeah, I know," I replied, "But Lupin, this has been happening more and more often. Sooner or later he'll find us and have time to spare to find Goemon. And when that happens you know Fujiko won't lift a talon to help us."

"Jigen, you worry too much," he said as he put the cigarette out on the cold steel floor he sat on. "You're giving the old man too much credit. He ain't THAT good. He gloats more than he deserves to. I'll bet he's sitting in that cockpit gloating to himself as we speak."

"Even so," I said as I put out my cigarette, "Every time we go through this, Goemon threatens to not help us out again. Eventually he'll get sick of this and make good on his word."

"Did I ever tell you how incredibly paranoid you are?"

"All the time, but more than once it's saved our asses."

"True. Very true. But I still think you're giving ol' Pops too much credit."

"I dunno, Lupin. It just seems to me like lately he's been getting better and better at finding us. If he didn't have that stupid badge that keeps him flesh during the day, we wouldn't have this problem."

Then there was a pounding on the wall opposite to us. The pounding was enough to shake the chopper.

"See? There's Goemon now," Lupin said.

Then there were three identical poundings after that on the same wall.

"Unless Goemon's learned to split himself in four, I'd say we're in trouble."

"If there's only that many, I'm sure he can handle it."

Then as if to spite me there were several more poundings all over the place. Followed by a series of beeps.

"Alright, wise guy," I said to Lupin, "What do you say to that?"

"Ok, ya got me there," he replied, finally showing some concern, "We're officially in trouble."

Then the wall opposite to us exploded in a blaze that sent shrapnel flying in our direction. We closed our wings around us as a feeble shield as the shrapnel shredded past us.

"What the hell?" I blurted before the wall behind us exploded.

The explosion knocked my cage off its bolts and sent it sliding across the floor of the chopper.

"Ah!" I yelled as I tried to dig my claws into floor.

"Jigen!" Lupin yelled as he stretched his arm from his still-bolted cage to try and reach me.

I reached to him, but I was already too far. My cage slid out of the chopper and started falling to the sea below.

"What the hell was he flying over water for?!" I thought to myself as I pulled my Magnum out from the holster I kept behind me.

I hurried and shot the lock off and opened the door so I could jump out, open my wings, and glide to safety. The cage kept falling and landed with a splash.

"Where the hell are we?" I wondered as I looked up to see what was going on.

I couldn't make out anything except a lot of humans on hovercrafts and Goemon zipping around swinging his sword. I was at a place where I couldn't get up to where they were, and there weren't any air currents that could get me there. So I pointed my gun up there and fired a couple of shots to take out a couple of the guys that were on Goemon. After that one of them started coming after me, so I decided to haul ass for land.

I looked ahead of me and found city lights. I was high enough above the water that I was sure I could make it. Especially if I found any good air currents to boost my way there.

"Good, civilization," I thought. "If I can get there fast enough, I can lose him."

I steadied my wings so I could get maximum airflow. After a few seconds, I was lifted up by an updraft.

"Perfect," I said to myself and allowed the draft to lift me up as high as it could. "Heh, catch this."

I then tilted down and pressed my wings to my body, sending me into a power dive. I waited five seconds and opened my wings again. I felt a rush as gravity tried to pull me further down as I cut through the air and quickened my trip to land.

I was still pretty high up, so a lot of the city was still below me as I glided my way to land. I was about to pick out a rooftop to land on when I felt a sharp pain in my left shoulder.

"Son of a bitch," I thought as I realized that I'd been shot. "That's it, I ain't playing around anymore."

I grabbed my gun, whipped around and shot the bastard out of the air. I looked real quick to see if there were any more, but I was lucky enough that he was alone.

"Damn, that hurt," I thought to myself.

After a couple of seconds I found out that I was quickly losing altitude. I pulled my wings up, but for some reason I couldn't get steady. The last thing I saw was the top floor balcony door of a building.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Gold Demona)

I sat in the living room with the remote in my talon as I flipped through channel after channel. As usual, there was nothing to watch. I had half a mind to just go to sleep.

"There's nothing on," I groaned and turned the TV off.

"Yeah, there's never anything on this late at night on a Sunday," Vaala replied from the kitchen. She was digging in the fridge for a snack.

"Except for lots and lots of boring crap."

"Yeah, nothing much has happened around here lately," she said as she walked out of the kitchen with a stick of Pocky in her hand. "I wish something interesting would happen."

Then I hear some loud pops coming from outside.

"What was that?" Vaala asked.

"Sounded like gunshots," I answered.

Vaala ran to the balcony door and opened it so she could go and see. After a moment she stepped back and looked at me.

"See anything?" I asked.

"Nope," she answered, nothing.

Then something plowed through the balcony door, past Vaala, and tumbling right into the wall on the opposite side of the living room, stopping with a loud crash. When I got a good look, I realized that it was a gargoyle.

"Holy shit!" Vaala screamed as she dropped her Pocky, shut the balcony door and ran to the gargoyle that just crashed into our living room. I jumped up off the couch and joined her there.

He was a tall lanky male gargoyle of greenish-gray skin. He wore a dark green, almost black suit with a matching fedora of the exact same color. He had a beak face with a thick black beard running from his sideburns all the way down to his chin at the end of his beak. He had shoulder-length black hair that flowed down from his hat, and his hat covered the top half of his face, hiding his eyes from view.

"Hey, doesn't he look kinda like--" Vaala started.

"Yeah," I interrupted as we both stared at the unconscious gargoyle on our floor.

After a moment I noticed a pool of red spreading from under him.

"He's bleeding!" I pointed out and grabbed his shoulders, "We have to get him to Mac."

"Right," Vaala replied and grabbed his legs.

We lifted him up and started dragging him.

"Damn he's heavy," I commented.

"Ha! If he's heavy to YOU, imagine how heavy he is to ME," Vaala replied.

"Let's just get him to the lab. He reeks of cigarettes."

Then the TV swung open and Silverbolt rushed out from behind it.

"Did something happen?" he asked. "I thought I heard gunshots, and then a loud crash from this room."

He looked down and saw us dragging the guy that crashed, as well as the pool of blood on the floor.

"Oh my God," He said and came to us, "Here, I'll take him."

He lifted the guy up like it was no problem and we all went to the lab.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Jigen)

(A few hours later…)

I woke up on my back, lying on something that felt like a hospital bed. I looked around, but my vision was blurry so I couldn't see anything.

"Where am I?" I wondered out loud, though it came out in the form of a groan.

"Oh, you're awake," said a female voice from somewhere.

I blinked my eyes and focused until I could see a young female gargoyle sitting by the bed I was lying on.

"Who're you?" I asked.

"Name's Gold Demona," she said.

I started to get up, but then was met with a very sharp pain in my left shoulder and all over my wings.

"Agh!" I yelped and raised my right talon to my shoulder.

"Don't get up!" she yelled as she shoved me back down to the bed, "You'll reopen your wounds."

"What the hell?" I replied and looked down at myself, noticing that my shirt, tie, and jacket were missing, replaced by bandages wrapped around my shoulder and slings on both my wings.

"Where are my clothes?" I asked.

"They're getting washed and fixed," she answered. "What happened?"

I laid back and thought back to what happened.

"Son of a bitch," I said, remembering the guy who shot me, "The one time I don't shoot first."

"I take it you ran into the Hunters," she said.

"The what?" I replied, having no earthly idea what she meant.

She looked at me like I was an alien.

"You didn't just enter the country through the Black Sea, did you?"

"The Black Sea? What is this place?"

"Paradigm City," she answered, "In New Liberty."

"New Liberty?!" I yelled. "How the hell did I end up in New Liberty? Last I remembered, I was in Turkey."

"You did just enter the country," she said as if it was the most amazing thing ever. "Then consider yourself lucky you happened to crash into OUR living room. And you should feel fortunate that you only broke your wings when you tumbled across the floor and into the wall."

"That explains why my wings hurt."

"Beh glahd you war onleh shoht ehn tha shooldar," said another voice in a thick Scottish accent from somewhere else in the room. "Tha Hontars are usualleh more efficient than thaht."

"Who said that?" I wondered out loud and looked around for the source of the voice.

Then a tall white female gargoyle wearing a labcoat and plaid scarf and skirt came up from behind Gold Demona. The next thing I noticed was that the glasses she was wearing were held on her head by a leather strap wrapped around her forehead.

"Ah knoo thes ohl most beh very cohnfusin to ye," she said and then pointed to herself. "Profissar Mac Hen."

"I take it this makeshift clinic is yours?" I asked.

"Aye, thes ehs mah lab. Win Goold ahnd Vaala broht ya ehn, Ah thoht ye were did. Eht teks some stringth ta sarvive tha crash ye took. Tha most dahmage ye goht from tha bullet wos a sivvered weng tindon."

"Severed wing tendon, huh?" I repeated.

"Aye, thas whot Ah sid."

"That explains how I lost control."

"Ah'm curious. How ded ye escehp tha Hontars wethoot thim following ye?"

"I only had one on me, and I shot him down before losing control and crashing. The rest were on my partners. We were in a helicopter, and I guess we got in a no fly zone."

"Heh, no foolin," Gold replied, "Especially if your partners were all gargoyles."

"Yeah, they are," I said.

"Then they're probably dead. Being a gargoyle's against the law in this country. Punishable by death."

"What?!" I laughed as soon as I heard it, "You're kidding."

"Be REALLY glad it was OUR living room you crashed into," she said, ignoring my laugh.

The Scottish female walked over to a cabinet and took out a bottle of something. She put it in a paper bag and started walking out.

"Ah'll beh bahck ehn an owar," she said.

"Where are you going?" Gold asked.

"Ta gev Bindar hez pehment," she answered as she held up the bagged bottle.

Then she held up her wrist and pressed something on her watch. Then she instantly changed into a human.

"What the hell?!" I said, trying to figure out what I'd just seen.

"Ah'll beh bahck," She said and left without another word.

"It's a disguise," Gold explained, "Keeps humans from seeing us. Almost everyone in this country hates gargoyles and wouldn't hesitate to turn one in to the authorities. Then the Hunters come and kill 'em. When they find a whole clan, they wait until just before sunrise and show up so they know their fate right before they go to sleep."

"You're serious," I realized out loud.

She looked at me with a sad stare in her bright red eyes. That was when I realized that she was the weirdest-looking gargoyle I'd ever seen. She was a really pale yellow color with hair that had patches of pale pink and pale blue. Her horns stuck straight up and curved away from each other. Her ears looked like they were split in three. The flaps of her wings were bright pink. I had to wonder if she herself was wearing a disguise. After a while, I realized that she hadn't taken her gaze off of me.

"What?" I said to break the silence.

"Oh, nothing," she said as she looked away blushing, which made her face turn orange. Another weird trait.

"Hey, Gold," called a female voice from outside the lab.

A young human female walked in and approached us.

"Huh? Where's Mac?" she asked.

"Went to give Bender another bottle of scotch."

"Is this one disguised, too?" I asked, "Or is she actually a human?"

"Oh you're awake," she said. "Yeah, I'm a human. Only one here, though."

"During the day there's two of us."

"Yeah, but that doesn't count."

"What do you mean it doesn't count? If I don't count during the day then I shouldn't count at night either."

I couldn't make heads or tails as to what they were talking about, but I didn't care enough to ask about it.

"Oh fine," the human said to finish the argument and looked down at me, "Anyway, what's your name?"

"That's right, we never got your name," Gold said.

I hesitated. From what I could see the place was inhabited entirely by females. I never had any good experiences with females, so this environment quickly got really uncomfortable. I debated whether to give my real name or one of my aliases.

"Silent type, huh?" the human said before I could answer, which was a relief because I didn't really want to answer.

"I found out he just got into the country."

"On purpose?" she replied with an eyebrow raised.

"I was in the back of a chopper," I explained, "I didn't even know I was over water until we were attacked."

"Damn Hunters," Said the human, "I swear they're animals."

"I never got your name either," I pointed out.

"Vaala Xanatos," she answered.

"Xanatos?" I repeated, recognizing the name, "As in Alexander Xanatos? The billionaire in New York?"

"That's the one," Vaala answered, "He's my grandfather, but I go by Marsaille here."

"What the hell is a Xanatos doing all the way out here, where apparently gargoyles get killed for being gargoyles?"

"Trying to get them all out," she answered, "Half the gargoyles here are survivors from clans that were smashed by the Hunters."

"Son of a bitch," I said and reached into my pants pocket.

"So glad I keep extras in my pocket," I thought to myself as I pulled a bent up cigarette out of my pocket and stuck it in my beak.

"Hey! You can't smoke in here!" Vaala screamed. "You'll stink up the whole place!"

"Relax, I can't light it anyways," I said as I realized one minor detail, "My lighter's in my jacket pocket. This'll be fine for now."

"I'll bet you're a chain smoker," Gold said and crossed her arms in disgust. "Going through two or three packs a night."

"Not one of my proudest habits," I admitted, "But it keeps me going."

"Well, anyway," Vaala said and started walking away, "I'm gonna go tell Silverbolt he's awake."

"Okay," Gold replied. "Where are Markl and Krypto at?"

"Helping with the laundry," Vaala answered, "Suits are damn hard to clean."

"Tell me about it," I replied.

When she got to the door, she turned back around.

"Oh yeah, I came down here to tell you," She said, "The sun'll be up soon. So we should get ready for bed."

"Right," Gold replied. "I'll be right there."

And with that Vaala left.

"Well, now that I know you're alright," Gold said as she got up off the chair she was sitting on. "I think I'll go and get ready for sleep. Mac should be back soon to do a final check on you before the sun comes up."

"Sure," I replied and watched her walk out.

"Finally," I thought, "Thought she'd never leave."

I looked around, because there was nothing else to do. I found my hat sitting on a counter to the left me. After a couple of minutes of painful reaching, I managed to grab it and put it on my head. I tilted it down and laid back.

"Well, at least they're not cops," I thought to myself, dozing off with the unlit cigarette still in my mouth.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Gold Demona)

"That was weird," I thought as I shut the lab door behind me. I went over to the statue room and found Boober holding a basket of wet clothes, among them the upper clothing from our crashed friend. He was walking towards the door.

"And where are you going with that?" I asked.

"The roof," he answered, "Today's going to be a sunny day, so I figured these will dry better in the daytime sun."

"We have access to the roof?" I wondered out loud.

"As a matter of fact, we do," he said, "Markl found it last night. It's really dirty up there, but I can fix that in a couple of weeks."

"But we HAVE a dryer," I pointed out. "AND a washer. Why are you doing all this by hand?"

"I don't trust those laundry machines. They never get all the dirt out, and they never get the clothes properly dried. I'd much rather do it myself."

"C'mon, Boober," Markl called as he ran into the room with Krypto following behind.

"I'm coming," he said. "Gold, would you mind turning on my cloaker?"

"Sure," I said and turned it on.

"Thanks," he said.

Markl then ran circles around us as we followed him out of the penthouse and into the living room. Vaala saw us as we were passing through.

"Where are you going?" Vaala asked. "And why are you taking the laundry?"

"Markl's taking us to the roof so Boober can hang these to dry," I answered.

"We have access to the roof?" she asked.

"Apparently," I said.

"I'll go, too," she said and followed us out.

We went down the hall to a door at the end that nobody ever went to. He opened it, revealing a flight of stairs that went up to the outside.

"Why exactly were you out here, Markl?" I asked.

"We were bored," he said. "So we explored this floor to see what else we could find. And this is what we found."

He ran through the door and up the stairs, and we followed.

When we got outside to the roof, I saw Silverbolt already there.

"Hey Silver," I greeted.

"How is our new friend?" he asked.

"He finally woke up," I answered.

"Good," he replied, "After tonight he will be healed, and we can concentrate our efforts in getting him out of here."

"Do you know who he is?" Boober asked as he put the basket down and started setting up a clothesline.

"No, he never gave his name," I said.

"It's strange," he said as he finished setting up the line and picked up our guest's suit jacket from the basket, "Because I could swear I've seen this jacket before,"

"Well, he'll be healed by tomorrow night, so you'll be able to meet him then," I said.

"It's good to be able to come outside," Silverbolt said. "This is an excellent place to stay and relax."

"Yeah, it is," I said.

"This is awesome," Vaala said, "You can see the sky and the sea from here."

"Yes, it's an excellent view," Silverbolt agreed. "Good work, Markl."

"Thanks," he said.

"Yeah, it's really somethin'," Said an additional voice from behind me as I found an arm resting on my shoulder. "So what's he like, Gold?"

"What are you talking about, Red?" I replied to Red, who had just arrived.

"I mean the mystery guy that crashed into the living room. I haven't seen him yet, so I don't know what he's like. Is he cute?"

"Why are you asking me?" I asked.

"Because you've been with him the longest," she answered.

"Well, I don't know. I was too busy worrying about whether or not he was alright. And I didn't get to talk to him until he was awake."

"Well, from what you've seen, then," she said.

"Well, first off, he smokes," I started, "And you know that's a major turn-off for me."

"Yeah, don't want men that stink," she agreed. "In any way, shape or form. That's one of the few things I LIKE about Boober. He's too much a neat freak to allow himself to stink."

"At least there's SOMETHING about me you like," Boober yelled from the clothesline as he continued hanging clothes.

"Yeah, but the list of things I DON'T like about you is a lot longer," she yelled back and then turned back to me. "So anyway, what else?"

"For another, it's apparent that he carries a gun, because he said he shot down the one Hunter that was chasing him before he crashed."

"A gun, huh?" she said, "Anything else?"

I looked back to Boober, who was busy happily hanging laundry. I edged closer to Red.

"Don't say anything to Boober," I whispered to her, "But this guy kinda looks like him."

This peaked her interest. Her eyes widened a little as I finished saying it. She looked to me with brow ridge raised.

"He wouldn't happen to have jet black hair, a thick beard, and a goofy-looking fedora to match his suit would he?"

"I wouldn't call it goofy-looking, but yeah," I answered. "Why? Do you know him?"

Her eyes flared wide opened and started to glow red.

"Oh, if the sun wasn't this close to rising," she growled.

"What? Who is he?" Vaala asked.

"If it's who I think it is, he's dead," she said.

"Well, you'll have to wait until tomorrow to do anything," Silverbolt said and turned to face the door, "The sun will be up soon. We must head back inside."

I looked over to the east, which was away from the sea, and noticed that the sky over there was starting to turn pink.

"Red, calm down," I said, "Let's get inside and sleep, and tomorrow you can be mad all you want."

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, dimming them down.

"Fine," she said. "Tomorrow."

We turned and started walking to the door. Boober had already finished hanging the laundry and picked up the empty basket to carry it inside. We went back to the apartment. Vaala and I stood in the living room as we watched everyone else walk into the penthouse.

"Have a good sleep, everyone," Vaala said.

"And you too," Silverbolt replied as he stepped inside.

Everyone else followed and we shut the door behind them.

"Aren't we forgetting somebody?" Vaala asked.

"Who?" I asked.

Then we heard the turning of keys at the front door.

"Oh yeah, Mac," I remembered out loud. "Open that back up."

"Right," Vaala said as she pressed the combination on the remote again.

The door opened and Mac walked in, turning the cloak off as she shut the door behind her.

"How's Bender doing?" I asked.

"He es hehs usual silf," she answered, "An ahss."

"Heh, of course," I replied as the penthouse door opened up again.

"Ye war planning ohn lohcken meh oot?" she asked as she saw the TV door open up.

"No, we just forgot you were out," Vaala answered.

"Ah," Mac replied as she went over to the door. "Ah'll she ye booth tamoorow night than."

"Later Mac," I said as she walked in and we shut the door again.

Vaala put the remote down and started walking to her bedroom.

"And now it's our turn to go to bed," she said as she passed me.

"Yeah," I agreed, "Sleep sounds like a very good idea."

"We really need to rework our sleep schedules," she added, "As we have it now, we're only getting like four hours of sleep a day. And the only times we get to really sleep are during our days off when we can sleep in. Maybe we should consider sleeping while the sun's still down?"

"But that's when everything happens," I said, "I was considering going to sleep when our new guest crashed through the balcony door."

"You've got a point there," she said, "Let's just try and work something out before this lack of sleep starts turning us old and wrinkly."

"Yeah," I agreed, "But another time. For now I just want to sleep."

"Yeah," she agreed back. "Good night, Gold."

"Good night," I said as she disappeared into her bedroom and I walked into mine.

I changed from my clothes to my pajamas and climbed into my bed. I laid there on my back and stared at the ceiling.

"I wonder if they're related," I thought to myself. "Although it would be strange for such a filthy guy to be related to a germaphobe like Boober. But Red seemed to know him, so maybe I'm not far off. Oh well, tomorrow's another day… and night."

I rolled over on my bed and went to sleep.


	6. Chapter 5: Night of Tension

Gold Demona

**Chapter V**

Night of Tension

(Gold Demona)

(The Next Day) (2110 A.D.)

"I hate my job," I thought to myself as I sat in my seat on the bus. I had a bad day at work and was glad to be on my way home. The day was slow, so I was let off early, of which I was doubly glad.

I looked up at the TV that hung from the ceiling of the city bus. I rarely paid attention to what was on them, because it usually showed news of no interest to me. Sometimes it was stuff about the Prime Ruler going somewhere. Sometimes it talked about something in the rest of the world. This time there was something on the TV that actually caught my interest.

"Many questions were brought up about the dogfight over the Black Sea last night," said the news anchor, "Government officials said that the Hunters had shot down a helicopter carrying a group of gargoyles. He went on to say that we should not worry, and that they had caught and killed all of them. In other news…"

"That's what he thinks," I thought, "I'm pretty sure the guy that crashed into our living room was in that helicopter. If they're lying about killing all of them, then there might be a chance that they're still alive. At least if any of them are as skilled as he seems to be."

My train of thought derailed as I lurched forward to the stopping bus. I looked outside, and realized that it was my stop and got up off the bus.

I passed the harbor on my long walk home. I looked over to the sea.

"Where would they have gone?" I thought. "If they somehow managed to survive all that, they would have to go into hiding somewhere."

I let out a sigh and decided to just keep walking home.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

I got home, and Vaala was already home, sitting on the couch watching TV. Normally I would've sat down and joined her, but today I had other plans.

"Hey Vaala," I greeted, though it sounded more like a groan.

"Work sucked for you too, huh?" she said as she looked up at me from the couch.

"Yup," I replied as I walked over to the TV. "Could you open up for me?"

"What for?" she asked, "Sunset's not for at least another four hours. Don't you wanna take a nap first or something? I know I'm about to. I'm sleepy as hell."

"Then why are you watching TV?" I asked.

"I was waiting for you to get home," she answered.

"Oh, well I'll take a nap after I check on something."

"Gonna go check on the new guy, huh?" she said with a grin, "What, you like him or something?"

"No, I'm just worried Red might've gone to attack him instead of going straight to the statue room. She was pretty upset when I described him to her."

"Red gets upset about everything. What are you talking about?"

"You're right," I said, "But I still wanna go see how he's doing."

"Okay," she replied and punched in the combination on the remote.

The TV clicked open and I walked in. I went over to Mac's lab and found his stone statue lying there undisturbed. He had his hat on his head tilted down, totally covering his face except for the tip of his beak, from which the unlit cigarette still stuck out.

"Oh for the love of…" I rolled my eyes.

I looked on the table next to him where we had put his hat before, and I found two bent up packs of cigarettes and a silver Zippo lighter.

"Must've been the contents of his jacket pockets," I thought as I looked up to Mac, who sat frozen in her chair. She tended to sleep in her lab, which I guess made sense because the lab was where she was most at home.

I noticed that on the table next to these items was a brown leather gun holster attached to a black leather belt, and inside the holster was an old-fashioned revolver.

"Must be his gun," I thought as I picked it up out of the holster to look at it, being careful not to put my fingers anywhere near the trigger in case it was loaded.

It was a very old model handgun. With dark gray metal and a dark brown wood handle. It was in really good condition for such an old-looking gun. It almost looked brand new, except for the gunpowder all over it. I noticed an inscription on the barrel.

"Smith & Wesson M19," I read out loud. "One of the few brands I've heard of. This guy has expensive taste in guns."

I then decided to just put it back into its holster and not mess with it anymore. I didn't want to risk having it go off and chip one of the two sleeping gargoyles. I looked down to the guy. He seemed relaxed, comfortable.

"Who are you?" I wondered. "Just what kind of life do you lead that would require a gun and that many cigarettes?"

I stared at him, watching him sleep, which was pathetic because it was the same as staring at an average sculpture.

"Why are you so interesting?" I wondered as I sat down in the spare chair I sat in before, which was still where I left it beside the bed. I sat in it backwards so the back of the chair was in front of me, and I leaned down on it.

I crossed my arms and rested my head on it, so I could look at him. My mind went through a haze of confusion. I couldn't figure out why he was so appealing to me.

"He wasn't nearly this interesting when he was awake," I thought, "Especially after putting that cigarette in his beak."

I stared at him for a while. I couldn't tell how long because my eyes had grown heavy and kept closing on me. Eventually I gave in and dozed off in the chair.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Jigen)

I exploded from my stone sleep with a stretch and yawn. I sat up and pushed my hat back up to where I normally had it, so the edge of the rim was right in front of my eyes and just barely high enough that I could still see. I took the cigarette out of my beak and stuck it back in my pocket. Then I noticed the female Gold Demona again sitting in the chair next to me, except this time she was asleep in the chair.

"How do you continue sleeping after waking up?" I thought and looked over to the Scott, Mac, who was still stretching.

"Good ehvnin, lad," she greeted, "Dedja slep will?"

"I slept alright, I guess," I answered and looked back over to Gold, "I don't remember her being here when we went to sleep."

Mac smiled and walked over to her. She shook her awake.

"Wehk ohp, lass," she said.

"Umgmmuh, what?" she mumbled as she woke up, "Mac?"

"Aye lass," she replied, "Eht's night."

"Uh… Oh!" She sputtered and looked over to me, "Uh hi."

"Hi," I replied.

"Feeling better?" she asked.

"Much," I answered and tested my wings to see if everything was still working properly. "And apparently, everything's back in order."

"That's good," Gold said, "Then I guess you'll be wanting to go look for your partners, won't you?"

"That's the general idea," I replied, "The sooner I find 'em, the sooner we can get out of here."

"Thin ye well nehd a clookar," Mac said as she handed me the funky wristwatch.

"You made one for him already?" Gold asked.

"Aye, win Ah wos bahndagin' hem, Ah took a sahmple ohf hehs blood ahnd med a clookar far hem."

"Thanks," I said uneasily. I wasn't used to getting anything free from a female. "What's the catch?"

She shook her head at me and gave me an angry look.

"Why wud thir be a cahtch ta sohmthin' thas vital te sarvival ehn thes contreh?"

"Sorry, geez," I replied and put the thing on my wrist. "So how does it work?"

"You hit the button to turn it on," Gold explained, "And then again to turn it off. Remember that it only lasts for five hours, so if you're planning on doing any searching outside, you'll have to come back here before the five hours are up."

"Yes, mom," I said as I adjusted the time on the watch.

I pressed the button, and instantly a hairy human hand appeared where my talon was.

"Woah," I said in reaction and pressed the button again to make the image go away. "That was weird."

"Yeah, it's pretty weird," Gold replied, "At first anyway. After a while, it just sort of becomes part of every day life."

"Ah thenk the oothers wud like te git ta noo our gist bifoor anehthen else."

"Others?" I wondered out loud, "Look, you're probably all really nice people, but I don't have time to stay here and make friends. If my partners are alive out there, I have to find 'em."

"Aye, baht noht ohn ahn impteh stoomach," Mac said right before my stomach started growling at me.

"I guess some food wouldn't hurt first," I said.

"Let's go get some dinner," Gold said.

"Don't you mean breakfast?" I corrected, seeing as only humans called it dinner.

"I guess so," Gold replied, not really caring, "It's food. That's all that matters."

"Right," I replied as I swung my legs around the side of the bed and lifted myself up, taking off the slings and bandages I didn't need anymore.

I grabbed my belt and holster from the table ad strapped it on.

"You'll take that thing to the table?" Gold asked.

"I take it everywhere," I answered, "You never know what'll happen. And that seems to be especially true here."

"Yeah that's true," she agreed and then turned to Mac, "You coming, Mac?"

"Nah, noht tanight," she answered, "Ah've weh too moch ta look ento tanight. Ef ye could bring meh somthin', tho, thaht'd beh grahnd."

"Alright," she answered and started for the door. I followed.

We walked out of the door and down a hall.

"YOU!" Screeched a familiar female voice from down the all. I then saw a very familiar female run up the hall, eyes flaring red. I watched as her fist came flying into the right side of my face. My head went whipping back to my left.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Gold yelled to the female that just punched me.

"Nice to see you, too, Red," I greeted, recognizing the female as I slowly brought my head back up and rubbed my aching jaw. "Dammit, I was just healed."

"How DARE you show your face around here?!" Red yelled at me. "You've got some nerve."

"So you know each other?" Gold asked.

"Yeah," I said calmly with a nod and still rubbing my jaw.

"Ha! I oughta throw you outside right now for the Hunters to find!" Red yelled. "You have NO idea the damage you've done to us."

"What the hell are you talking about?" I asked, "You managed to get by. What happened didn't stop you from getting famous."

"That's not the point," she said.

I heard footsteps coming from behind us, so I turned around to see who it was. Around the corner, carrying a basket of dry folded laundry, came a face I hadn't seen in years. One I never thought I'd see again. One that was genetically identical to mine, but at the same time was very different. As soon as he saw me he dropped his basket and stared at me.

"I don't believe it," I said.

He walked up to me, carefully stepping over the basket of laundry he'd just dropped. His stare was fixated on me, just as mine was on him.

"Is it really you?" he said, voice quivering.

"Boober…" I managed to get out, feeling very uncomfortable with the scenario.

"It is you," he said to me, almost to the point of sobbing as he raised his talons up, shaking like he had Parkinson's. "I thought I'd never see you again."

"What the hell are you doing in a place like this?" I asked.

"What's going on here?" Gold asked, getting annoyed, "Who is this guy?"

"He's my brother," Boober answered and then leapt onto me, wrapping his arms around me. "Jigen!"

He started bawling like a baby. I didn't move at all, except to let out a long sigh.

"This just got a lot more complicated," I thought.

"His brother?" Gold repeated in surprise.

"Twins, to be exact," Red clarified, "But GOD, are THEY ever opposite."

"Twins?!" Gold repeated. "But they don't look THAT much alike."

"You still shave your face and dye your hair red," I said to him soft enough so that nobody else could hear, "You never could stand us looking alike, Boober. And I'll bet you still use the germ excuse, too."

"This isn't funny, Jigen," Boober sobbed, "Where have you been all these years? Why did you just leave all of a sudden? And without even saying a word to me."

"So they never told you," I said at regular volume.

"They always denied knowing anything," he replied, "And they'd jump to another subject whenever I brought it up."

"Well, everyone else is already waiting in the dining room," Red said, "As much as I'd love to beat the crap out of you, Jigen, I can't do that with Boober attached to you. So Gold and I are gonna go eat while you two catch up with each other."

"Right," Gold agreed and walked away with Red.

"Can we take this somewhere more private?" I asked Boober.

"Sure," he answered as he slowly let go of me and stepped back, wiping the tears off from his face.

"If we weren't twins, Boober, I'd almost say you were gay."

"You know that's not true, Jigen. And this is not the time to be joking like that."

"That's right, you probably still hold a torch for Red."

"Stop it!" he retorted. "Let's go to the statue room. If everyone's in the dining room, then there's nobody in there."

"Except the Scott's in the lab," I pointed out.

"Oh you mean Mac? She almost never leaves the lab," he said as he started walking down the hall. I followed. "Not even to eat. If she does leave, it's usually to deliver a bottle of scotch to her robot."

"Robot?" I repeated. "What the hell would a robot need scotch for?"

"I have no idea, but that's what he gets as payment for being a spy for us. He's not a very good one, though."

We turned another corner and arrived at a large empty room. There were chairs scattered around and a large washtub in the corner, but that was about it.

"It's not much," Boober said, "But this is where everyone sleeps during the day. Well, everyone but Gold, Vaala and Mac, anyway."

"Wait, Gold? You mean the weird-looking chick with the pink hair? She doesn't sleep here?"

"No, she doesn't," he answered, "She's human during the day, so she sleeps when she can in her bedroom up in the apartment. She has a day job so she doesn't get a lot of time to rest. She and Vaala both."

"Human?" I repeated, thoroughly confused. "What the hell kind of sorcery did she go through to have THAT happen?"

"That's what Mac's trying to figure out," he answered. "Gold's a mystery so deep, she doesn't even know herself."

"Hmm," I replied. "So what about you, Boober? How did you end up living with this bunch of nuts?"

"Did Gold tell you anything about this bunch of nuts?"

"No, but that human, Vaala said that half the gargoyles here are survivors from when their clans got destroyed."

He looked away for a moment, lowering his head and nodding.

"Wait," I said, realizing where he was getting at, "No."

"'Fraid so," he said.

"But you were in Vancouver when I left," I said, "Why did you come here?"

"This was just two years after you left. Right after New Liberty declared its independence. The clan decided to move here, despite my suggestions against it. And not long after we moved here the border got locked down. We managed to survive for a while, but I guess this was bound to happen."

"Son of a bitch," I said as I found myself flopping down into one of the chairs. "So we're the last of our clan."

"Yeah," Boober said and sat in a chair beside me, "It figures that the twins would be the only survivors. I was hoping you'd come back. Just didn't expect for it to be right now."

"I never properly said 'good-bye' to any of 'em," I said, "Not even to you, which makes me glad as hell that you survived."

"This must be the silver lining to you leaving the way you did. Until tonight, I hadn't been able to find it."

"And what about Red?" I asked, "And her clan?"

"No, they're fine. They're still in Vancouver. The band came over to visit right before the border closed."

"So that's where they disappeared to."

"And when they ran into this group, we finally had the opportunity to leave the country, but Red decided to stay so..."

"So you stayed with her."

"Yes," he said.

"Just as I thought. Still carrying a torch."

"Why don't you stay here, Jigen?" he said to change the subject, "There's always room in here for one more, and the Hunters can't find this place because we have charms that block the sensors."

"As much as I'd like to," I said, "I can't stay. I gotta find my partners so we can get outta here and back to our regular routine."

"Is it for the same reason you left the clan?" he asked, "Is that why you can't stay?"

I wasn't quite sure how to answer that, so I just stayed quiet.

"I thought so," he said, "Are you ever going to tell me what it is?"

"Maybe eventually," I answered, "But I know I can't just yet cuz I know you won't like it."

I got up off the chair, and looked down at Boober.

"Is there any place where I can smoke?" I asked, "I haven't been able to since I got here."

"On the roof would be the best place," Boober answered. "But you'll have to get your lighter and cigarettes from the lab. I had to take them out of your pocket to wash your jacket, which is still sitting in the basket in the hall. Honestly, Jigen, why don't you quit? It makes you smell and it causes cancer."

"Everything causes cancer," I replied as I started walking out.

"Jigen," he said as I got to the doorway. I looked back to see he was still sitting in the chair. "Whether you change your mind or not about staying, I'm glad to see you."

"Yeah," I said as I grinned and nodded, "Me too."

I turned back around and walked away, the grin quickly running from my face.

"This is going to be a long night," I thought to myself.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Gold Demona)

"So he's Boober's brother," I said, still not quite believing it. I looked down and stared at my ham and cheese sandwich.

"Yeah, unfortunately," Red replied and bit into her sandwich. "They're identical twins, but exact opposites. Jigen is what Boober would be if he wasn't such a dork. And Boober is what Jigen would be if he wasn't such a jerk. At least Boober I can tolerate. I can't stand being around Jigen, especially after what he did to us."

"What'd he do?" Vaala asked. "I mean, he was part of Boober's clan, right? And you're part of another clan, right?"

"Yeah, my clan's in Vancouver, safe from all this insanity. Mokey, Wembley, and Gobo are all my clanmates. We were all really close to Boober's clan."

"But how does Jigen leaving affect your clan?" Vaala asked.

"I can't even talk about it," she said and took another bite. "It pisses me off just thinking about it, so don't ask."

"He was planning on finding his partners and leaving the country with them," I said, "I wonder if he'll stay now that he and Boober are reunited."

"I wouldn't bet on it," Red said, "He left once, he'll do it again."

"But they're the soul survivors of their clan," I pointed out. "I would think that they'd both want to be together for that reason, if not for the fact that they're brothers. Especially for being twins."

"Jigen doesn't give a rat's ass about any of that," Red said, "If he did, he wouldn't have left to begin with."

"Yeah, but their whole clan is gone," I added. "Boober's all he has left of his clan. Wouldn't that count for something?"

"You seem pretty optimistic about him staying, Gold," She said as she swallowed her last bite of the sandwich. Then a wide grin grew on her face. "You don't have a thing for him or anything, do you?"

"Psh, no!" I retorted.

"I think you do," she said.

"You don't know what you're talking about," I replied.

"Right, whatever you say. It's not like he'll stay anyway, especially if he finds his partners."

"Yeah, and even if I did like him, which I don't," I added, "He smokes, and you know I can't stand the smell of cigarettes."

"Well, at any rate, it will be most likely you will spend the most time with him, Gold," Silverbolt said. "Because it would be best if you accompanied him in his search for his friends."

"Accompany him?" I repeated, "What for?"

"You know the city better than any of us," he answered, "You've been here longer than even Vaala. You know where everything is and where all the danger zones are. Even with the cloakers and Markl's charm on them, it would be wise for him to search with someone who knows the area."

"I guess you're right," I said, "It's not like I have anything better to do at night."

"Better you than me," Red said, "It's too bad these cloakers only last five hours, cuz I swear I'll kill him if I see him again."

"Well, look at it this way, Red," Vaala said, "You only have to put up with his presence until he finds his friends."

"Heh, IF he finds them," she replied, "If they haven't all been killed by the Hunters."

"You never know," Vaala said, "I mean Jigen managed to get away from them alright. Maybe the others will manage to do the same."

"Meh, like it matters," Red replied.

Then I saw Boober walk in with a very unhappy look on his face.

"Hey, Boober," Vaala greeted, "Where's your brother?"

"He's on the roof, smoking," he answered and sat down at the table. "I gave him the rest of his clothes and the stuff from his pockets, and he went to the roof to smoke."

"Why the long face?" I asked. "Aren't you happy to see your brother again?"

"Of course I am," he replied and picked up a sandwich from the pile at the center of the table, "It's been years since I've had this kind of happiness."

"Then what is it?" Silverbolt asked.

"It's just…" he started, "I'm afraid that when he finds his friends, he'll leave again, and I don't want that to happen."

"I wouldn't put my hopes on him staying, Boober," Red said, sounding slightly softer than she did a few minutes ago.

"I know," he replied and took a bite of his sandwich. "I want to believe he might consider staying, but I have to be realistic about this. The fact is that whatever his reason was for leaving the first time will be the same reason he'll have for leaving this time."

"For once something we agree on," Red said. "And I'll bet you money his partners are part of that reason."

"I can only assume so," he said.

Silverbolt then got up from his chair.

"And where are you going?" Vaala asked.

"To the roof, to speak with our guest," he answered as he walked to the door, "I only saw him after he crashed into the apartment. I would like to know him a little better."

"Don't expect anything good," Red said.

"I will decide for myself whether or not he is of good character," he said and disappeared into the hallway.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Jigen)

I looked down over to the sea, letting my mind wander. The cigarette I'd been smoking was almost done. This one went quicker than usual, probably from how stressed I was. The situation I was in wasn't an easy one.

"Damn, where the hell are you, Lupin?" I thought. "We gotta get out of this dump. This is just ridiculous. A whole country run by people who hate gargoyles. I'll bet old Pops is having a heart attack right now, if he's even alive."

"Enjoying the view?" said a deep voice from behind me.

I turned around to see a man taller than me with tan skin, brown hair, and brown eyes. He had just walked through the door and was walking towards me.

"Yeah, it's some view," I replied as he stopped beside me, looking towards the sea.

"Jigen is your name, right?" he asked.

"Yeah," I answered.

"It's good to see that you've fully recovered," he said, "When I saw you lying unconscious and bleeding on the living room floor, I had doubts you would last the night."

"I take it you're the leader of this bunch?" I asked.

"Not quite," he answered, "I help where I can."

"Well, you sure seem like the leader type."

"I led a clan once," he said.

"Lemme guess, the Hunters?"

"Yes," he said.

"Did you come up here to try and talk me into staying?" I asked. "Because Boober already tried that."

"Whether you stay or not is entirely up to you. I came here just so I could get to know you."

"To see whether or not I'm trustworthy," I added.

"More to form my own opinion of you. There are mixed feelings about your arrival, and I know emotions can cloud facts."

"Red hates my guts and wants me to leave. Not that I blame her. And Boober couldn't be happier to see me and wants me to stay. Not that I blame him."

"What exactly did you do to make Red so angry?" he asked, "The way she spoke about you, one would think that you got away with murder."

"Red's always had anger issues," I said as I tossed my spent cigarette over the edge of the roof, "She hasn't changed a bit."

"So what is it you plan to do?" he asked.

"I plan on finding my partners," I answered, as I pulled another cigarette from my jacket pocket and stuck it in my mouth, "And then get the hell out of here. This is not a place for people like us. How the hell does a country get like this without the rest of the world knowing about it? It's like when frickin' Hitler started taking over Europe right under everybody's noses. And then the world woke up when he took over frickin' Poland and World War frickin' II happened."

I pulled my Zippo out from my jacket pocket and lit my cigarette.

"I'm not quite sure of that myself," he answered, "Many of us have lived in this country since before the closing of the border, myself included, and still there is much about this nation we don't know about. My clan moved here from England during this nation's statehood. But there is still much about this country that leaves us all baffled."

"England?" I wondered out loud, "You're from England?"

"Yes," he said with a nod. "Nottingham, to be exact."

"You don't have much of an accent. If anything you sound more like an upper-class American."

He busted up laughing when I said that.

"Well," he said when he finished laughing, "When you live in another country for so many years, you tend to start speaking like the people there."

"I suppose that's true," I replied, "I really wouldn't know because I never stayed in any place long enough for that to happen. Wait, Nottingham's a real place?"

"Yes, it is," he said, "It's not as interesting as the one in the story of Robin Hood, but it was a place we called home."

"Then what possessed you to move to New Liberty?"

"Like I said, we came here in its statehood. This was before there was so much open hatred towards gargoyles, when being a gargoyle wasn't a crime. What appealed to us the most about this place was the fact that we had part of America so close to us. It was like moving to America without ever leaving Europe."

"America's not that great," I said and exhaled another puff of smoke, "I'll take England over America any day. Especially since it spawned a place like this."

"Indeed," he agreed as he turned around and started walking back to the door. "Just so you know, the cloaker only lasts five hours. And after that, it takes the rest of the night to recharge. It would not be wise to be outside when the timer runs out."

"I was about done smoking anyway," I said as I took one last huff and tossed away my cigarette. "I'd like to take at least a couple hours tonight to try and find my partners."

"Then let's join the others downstairs."

I puffed all the smoke out and followed him to the door. He waited until I got there before moving on.

"By the way, I didn't catch your name," I said to him.

"Silverbolt," he said.

We went through the door and back downstairs to the apartment.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Gold Demona)

I walked down the hall and through the TV door and bumped into someone. When I looked up I realized it was Jigen.

"Oh, hi," I greeted nervously.

"Hey," he said without changing his serious expression.

Then Silverbolt appeared behind him.

"Gold, I believe now would be a good time to show Jigen the city," he said. "To help him safely get around. After he knows the city better, he will have an easier time figuring out where his friends are."

"Right," I said.

"Hey Gold," Vaala called from behind me.

"Yeah Vaala," I called back.

"Here," she said as she ran up to me with a handful of cloakers. "Mac said to take these with you."

I took them and stuck them in my pocket.

"Thanks," I said.

Vaala then leaned down close to me.

"Mac will be scanning the city for 'em while you're out," she whispered. "If they're alive in the city, she'll find 'em."

"Good," I whispered back, "We need all the help we can get."

Silverbolt walked past me and into the penthouse.

"I wish you luck," he said.

"We'll need it," I replied.

"Don't be out too long," Vaala said, "We have work early tomorrow, so we have to be in bed earlier."

"I know," I replied, "We won't be out that long."

I walked past Jigen and shoved the TV back to the wall.

"Does that TV work?" he asked.

"Of course it does," I answered, "You think we'd have a TV that big and have it not work?"

"I suppose not," he said, "It's just weird that that's your secret door."

"We do what we have to," I said. "Anyway, times a-wastin'. The sooner we start this search, the sooner we can get back and I can go to sleep."

"Sure," he said as we started to the door.

We exited the apartment and started our way out to the city.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Couple hours later…)

It was a long and grueling walk. I showed him everything I could around the city, telling him what useful information I knew about every place we went. In that whole hour, he never said a word to me. Not even so much as a question or comment.

"I wonder if he's even paying attention," I thought, "He hasn't even looked at me since we left."

I looked up at him, noticing he was just staring off ahead of him. At least that's where I assumed he was staring because his eyes were concealed under the rim of his hat. For all I knew, he could've been staring down through his now-invisible beak.

"Is there a reason you keep staring at me?" he asked, keeping his gaze ahead of him.

"I was just wondering if you were paying attention," I answered, "You haven't said a word to me this whole time."

"If I wasn't paying attention, this would've been a huge waste of time," he said, "It's part of my job to pay attention to everything. My surroundings, the people, my partners. Everything. So in times like this when we're all separated, we can better predict where everyone's gonna be. So I'm not just taking in what you're telling me. I'm also going by what I'm seeing."

"So what exactly is your job?" I asked. "You never said what it is you and your partners do."

"That's because it's not important," he said. "What I do for a living shouldn't matter to anyone."

"If I had to guess, I'd say it matters to Boober."

"I'm not out here to talk about Boober."

"But he's your brother."

"You think I don't know that? We came out of the same egg."

"Then what's the problem?"

"It's complicated," he said.

"What do you mean?"

"Let's just get back to the apartment," he said, "I don't think my cloaker has a lot of juice left."

"Okay," I replied and started back towards the apartment.

We passed a construction site with a "coming soon" sign on the fence.

"Hmm, I wonder what they're putting here?" I wondered out loud.

"A nightclub, from the looks of it," Jigen said, pointing to another sign on the fence that read "The Upendi Nightclub".

"Upendi," I read, "Interesting."

"Upendi's a Swahili word," Jigen said, "Must be an African place."

"You know what it means?"

"It means love," he said, "So it's probably gonna be some kind of strip joint."

"So close to the residential area?" I wondered out loud.

"I've seen stranger things," he said as he kept walking ahead of me, "This country's laws against gargoyles, for example."

I sped up to catch up with him.

"Hey, wait," I called. "So you've been to Africa?"

"A few times," he answered. "On business ventures."

"You must have an exciting job to be able to go to places like that."

"It has its perks," he said with a grin, "It's got its up and downs. When we're down, we're in the dumps, but when we're up, damn are we up."

We turned the corner and arrived at the apartment building. We went inside and up the elevator.

"So you've probably been just about everywhere in the world."

"Just about," he said, "Everywhere but this place, anyway."

"Is there anyplace you guys call home?"

"Our home is wherever we happen to roost," he answered, "So I suppose for the moment, this would be it for me. I just hope they're roosting somewhere safe."

"There's not a great many places they could be safe," I said, "I think I've shown you all the safe places, and we didn't see them at any of them."

"If anyone can find a safe place, it's them. There's only one person they have to worry about, and he's probably in hiding too."

"What do you mean?"

"Never mind," he said, "It's nothing. I've said too much as it is."

"Weird," I thought.

His cloaker started beeping just as we reached the top floor. We walked out of the elevator and to the apartment. We both turned off our cloakers as we entered, and found Markl and Krypto sitting on the couch.

"Hey Markl," I greeted as we walked in.

"Hey Gold," he greeted back. "Hey, is that Boober's twin?"

"Yeah, that's him."

He jumped up off the couch and ran over to him, Krypto following close behind. Markl stared at him, tilting his head.

"It's weird," he said.

"What?" Jigen replied.

"You look like him," Markl answered and tilted his head the other way, "But at the same time you don't."

Krypto sniffed at Jigen and circled him once before he started growling.

"GRRRRR…!!!" he growled.

"What the hell?!" Jigen replied and backed up.

"Krypto!" Markl yelled and put his arms around Krypto's neck. "Stop that. He's Boober's brother. He's a friend."

"What's gotten into him?" I wondered out loud.

"I dunno!" Markl replied as Krypto tried to step forward to Jigen. "Krypto! Down boy!"

"Uh, let's get down to the penthouse before Krypto goes rabid on you," I said as I stepped around Krypto and Markl to the TV.

"Easy for you to say," Jigen said, "You can get around the teeth."

"That's it!" Markl said as he got up and pointed his claw at Krypto, "Krypto! Down!"

"Yipe?" Krypto yipped as some stuff fumed from Markl's claw and went straight into his eyes, making him sit down and sit perfectly still.

"I'm sorry Krypto," he said, "but I have to let him pass."

He looked up at Jigen, keeping his claw pointed at Krypto.

"He'll normally make friends with anybody right away," he explained, "I don't know what he smelled on you, but he didn't like it."

"Guess he doesn't like smokers," Jigen replied as he walked around Krypto and over to the TV where I was.

"Thanks, Markl," I said as I pulled the TV door open.

"Sure," he said, still pointing his claw to Krypto.

I stepped inside, Jigen following.

"I'm really sorry about that," I apologized, "He really is a good dog. I don't understand what happened."

"I'm sure he has his reasons," Jigen replied.

"He's so understanding," I thought, "I don't get it. What I hear about him and what I'm seeing from him are so different. What is he hiding?"

We walked into the statue room and found Silverbolt sitting in a chair with a pair of small glasses on his canine-looking nose, reading a book.

"I didn't know you wore glasses, Silver," I pointed out as I walked in.

"Only when I read," he answered as he put a bookmark in his book and took off his glasses, "I'm not exactly in my fifties anymore, so my eyesight is not what it used to be."

"I didn't think you were that old," I replied.

"Heh, thank you. Ninety-five is not a friendly age for a gargoyle."

"It's even less friendly for a human," Jigen pointed out. "Most humans at ninety-five are writing their wills and buying their coffins, if they're not already lying in 'em. Hell, some are even doing that in THEIR fifties."

"True," he agreed. "Which I suppose is another reason why the humans here think we're so evil."

"What, that our average life span is twice as long as theirs?" Jigen replied.

"From what I've seen," Silver said as he put his glasses away, "They will use any excuse they can find to label us as demons."

"What is it you're reading?" I asked to change the subject.

"The Complete Works of William Shakespeare," he answered as he held up the book. "His writings are brilliant."

"Sure, if you can understand it," I said. "I remember reading Shakespeare at the orphanage, and it drove me nuts trying to understand it."

"Shakespeare is an acquired taste, I suppose," Silver replied as he put the book down on the floor beside the chair.

I then heard footsteps coming from behind me. When I turned around I saw Red walking in from the hall with Boober following close behind. Red started growling, eyes glowing red the moment she saw Jigen.

"Red, remember you promised," Boober said as he grabbed her by the shoulders.

"I know, I know, I know," she gritted and shut her eyes. "Let go."

Boober let her go and she calmed down.

"Again, nice to see you too, Red," Jigen said in sarcasm.

"Just shut up, Jigen," she said, "Boober made me promise not to lay another claw on you. That doesn't mean I have to speak to you or be nice to you. So I'd rather you not speak to me, okay?"

"Fine by me," he said, "It's not like I have anything worth saying to you anyhow."

"Fine."

"And on that note," I said as I started walking back to the door. "I have to go to bed."

"Work tomorrow?" Red asked.

"Wouldn't bother with sleep if there wasn't," I said and then looked over to Jigen, "I'll keep a look out for your partners while I'm out there tomorrow."

"Thanks," he said.

"Good night everyone," I said as I walked through the door.

"Night," Everyone said.

I went over to the lab and went inside.

"Hey Mac," I said to her as I entered.

"Hey, lass," she greeted, "Dedja find aneh-one oot thir?"

"No, we didn't find anyone," I answered, "But Jigen has a better idea of what the city's like, so maybe he'll be able to figure out where they are."

"Lit's hoop so," she said, "Bicos Ah foond nothin ohn tha scahnnars."

"So it either means they're dead," I said, "Or they're in one of the scanner's blind spots."

"Ehthar could beh pohsseble," she said, "Weh'll jost hahfta weht ahnd seh whot hahppens."

"Well, I'm gonna turn in for the night," I said and turned to leave, "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Ahntel tamoorow, lass," she replied and went back to her computer.

I walked back down the hall and pushed the TV forward. Markl and Krypto were back on the couch, watching TV.

"Is he better now?" I asked, pointing to Krypto.

"Yeah, he's behaving now," Markl answered, rubbing Krypto's shoulder. "I still don't get what happened to make him act like that."

"Well, whatever it is, I hope he's over it," I said, "Boober already made Red promise to behave around him. Let's hope Krypto can do the same."

"Are you going to bed now?" he asked, knowing that if that was true, he would have to turn the TV off and go back into the penthouse for the rest of the night. Vaala was apparently already in bed, and if I went to bed there would've been no one to lock the TV door shut, because it only locked from the living room side.

"Yeah," I answered, "You have a spell that can lock doors that only lock from one side, right?"

"Yes," he answered.

"I think I can trust you to use it when you're done," I said with a wink as I pushed the TV back to its place and headed to my room. I knew that sunrise was still a couple of hours away, and I also knew that Markl would've been bored amongst all the grownups.

"Really?!" He replied, "You really mean that?"

"Just don't let the volume get up too high, and make sure that you're in the penthouse and that the door is locked before sunrise."

"You can count on me," he said with a salute.

"I know I can," I said with a smile as I got to my bedroom door.

"Oh, and Gold?" Markl called as I was opening the door.

"Yes Markl?" I called back.

"Weather Network said there's going to be a cold front coming through here tomorrow."

"We're at the tail-end of summer, almost the beginning of fall," I said, "Cold fronts happen. Especially around here."

"I just figured I'd let you know," he said, "Night Gold."

"Good night, Markl," I said as I got in my room and put on my pajamas. I didn't bother turning on my bedroom light because I knew I wasn't going to need it that long.

When I got my pajamas on, I pulled the covers up and climbed into bed. I rolled onto my back and put my talons behind my head. I stared up at the ceiling, thinking.

"He's so mysterious," I thought to myself, "I want to know more about him. It amazes me that he's so closely related to Boober. They don't seem to have that much in common. The only similarities I've found in them so far are in their physical appearance and the way they wear their hats. And what's this big secret that nobody wants to talk about? What did he do that was so awful?"

My mind wandered like that for a long time, preventing any sleep from coming. I ended up being awake long enough to hear Markl turn off the TV, go back into the penthouse, and lock the door from the inside with his spell. A few minutes later, the sun came up, and I found myself human.

"Damn," I said to myself, "The one time I go to bed early, and my thoughts keep me awake the rest of the night."

I rolled over and tried again to go to sleep.

"It's going to be a long day tomorrow," I thought as I shut my eyes and waited for sleep to come.


	7. Chapter 6: The Painful Truth

Gold Demona

**Chapter VI**

The Painful Truth

(Gold Demona)

(The next day…In the afternoon…) (2110 A.D.)

"I hate my job," I thought to myself as I got off the bus on my way home.

Through the entire day I kept my eye open for Jigen's partners, but found no sign. I was beginning to think the news reports were right about them being killed.

I was passing one of the alleyways near my apartment building when I noticed some movement. I stopped and looked down the alley and found a lot of trashcans and a large green dumpster. I then heard some shuffling coming from behind the dumpster.

"What?" I thought to myself as I slowly walked into the alley.

I placed my hand on the dumpster and slowly peeked around it. When I got around to where I could see who was there, I was immediately met with the barrel of a handgun.

"Hold it right there!" yelled the one holding the gun.

I flung my hands up right before realizing that the person holding the gun was a gargoyle. He was a middle-aged male of tannish-light brown skin, jet-black clean-cut hair and short sideburns, and bat-like wings. He wore a tan trench coat over a dark brown suit, all with pieces torn out of them. His horns stuck up through two holes in the fedora he wore that matched his trench. Unlike Jigen's fedora, this one had a much smaller rim and didn't conceal his face at all. He stared at me with his large black eyes, eyes that were wide with terror. His talons shook as he held his gun to me. It was apparent that he'd been in hiding for a long time.

"A gargoyle awake during the day?" I thought.

"Don't make another move," he quivered as he reached into his coat pocket and pulled out an ICPO badge, "I am Inspector Koichi Zenigata of Interpol."

"Interpol?" I repeated, "That explains why you're not stone. So what's a cop doing all the way in New Liberty?"

"Hey! I ask the questions, Missy!" he said, "Where the hell am I and how do I get out of here?!"

"You're in Paradigm City," I answered, hands still raised, "In the country of New Liberty. If I had to guess, I'd say you were one of the gargoyles in the helicopter attack the other night."

"That was my chopper they shot down," he answered, "I was carrying very important cargo, and now I have to track 'em down again."

"But why were you flying over the Black Sea? And so close to New Liberty?"

"I said I'M the one who asks the questions!" he yelled.

"Not so loud," I whispered to him, "Do you want someone to hear you? In fact let's take this inside, where you'll be less likely to be caught by the Hunters."

"Hunters?" he repeated and started sobbing, lowering his gun, "Is that what they are? They've been chasing me since I landed, and this has been the only safe spot I could find."

"That's because this is one of the blind spots of the scanners," I clarified.

"Scanners?" he repeated, "Scanners for what?"

"I'll explain everything when we get to my apartment," I said as I took my cloaker off my wrist. "Cuz right here you're a sitting duck just waiting for someone to find you."

"What are you doing?" he asked and raised his gun again.

"Look, Inspector," I said, "If I was intent on killing you, I would've run away and called the cops, and they would've summoned the Hunters on you by now, and then they'd be out here continuing the chase where you left off. This is a cloaker. Now put it on and press the button so we can get you safely to my apartment. You'll look like me while you're wearing it, so just pretend you're my twin."

Confused, he put his gun back in its holster and took the cloaker from my hand. He placed it on his wrist and turned it on, replacing his image with mine.

"Ah!" He yelled and looked down at himself, "What'd you do to me?!"

"Relax, will you?!" I said as I held my hand out, "Nothing happened! It's an illusion, a holographic image of me. If you don't want to wait here for someone to spot you and have you killed, you can come home with me."

Slowly, he took my hand and got up. Being my image, I looked at the face on the cloak. I knew it had to be lower down than where his face actually was, but I could only see what the cloak was showing.

"Good," I said, "Now keep quiet. It'll look suspicious to hear a gritty male voice coming out of a woman."

He nodded as I turned around and he followed me out of the alley. He followed me all the way to the apartment. I opened the door and stepped aside to allow him to enter first.

"After you, Inspector," I said.

"Much obliged," he said and walked through the door.

"Hey, how was work?" Vaala greeted as the Inspector enter.

"What? Work? Uh…" He replied.

"AAAHHHHH!!!" Vaala screamed. "Who the fucking hell are you, and what've you done with Gold?!"

"Relax, Vaala!" I yelled as I walked in behind him and shut the door. "He's with me. This is Inspector Zenigata and he's from Interpol."

"Why the hell is he wearing your cloaker?!" She yelled at me.

"It was all I had with me. I found him on the way home and giving him my cloaker was the only way to safely get him here."

"How do I turn this thing off?" he asked, fiddling with the cloaker.

"Just push the button again and give it back to me," I answered.

He did and handed it back to me.

"Well next time, warn me when you're bringing a gargoyle cop into the apartment. You scared the shit out of me just now."

"Sorry about that," said the Inspector as he removed his hat and held it with both talons. "You see, I haven't had any sleep in the past two days, and my mind isn't as clear as it should be."

"The Hunters have been keeping you busy, huh?" she asked.

"Ah-hah," he squealed, "You have no idea. It's been one nightmare after another. I mean what the hell kind of place is this anyway?"

"Welcome to New Liberty, Inspector," I said, "Where being a gargoyle means death."

"Death?" he repeated, "Death?! You get sentenced to death just for being a gargoyle?! They can't do this! It's unconstitutional! I'm an officer of Interpol, dammit! I shouldn't have to go through any of this! I swear if I had my equipment, I'd be sending for reinforcements!"

"They don't care who you are," I said, "Whether you're an officer of Interpol or the King of Spain. If you're a gargoyle, death is the penalty."

"That's just preposterous!" He yelled, "How the hell can that kind of law be passed without the rest of the world finding out about it?"

"Kinda helps to lock the border," Vaala pointed out, "If the Prime Ruler doesn't approve you leaving or coming, you neither leave nor come."

"I knew there was something fishy about that," he said, "From the very beginning. Something didn't seem right about it."

"Well, now you know," I said and headed to the kitchen. "Can I get you anything, Inspector? Some food? A Drink?"

"A bed?" Vaala suggested, pointing to the couch.

He looked over to the couch and started walking to it.

"I could really use some sleep, if you don't mind," he answered.

"Make yourself comfortable," I said and headed to the lien closet. "That couch can turn into a bed, so if you want, we can go ahead and do that for you."

He stood there by the couch, staring at it.

"It looks so comfortable," he said, "I must be dreaming."

"Geez, Inspector," Vaala said as she started removing cushions to take out the bed, "You act like you've never seen a couch before."

"When you've been on the run for two straight days without any hope of sleep or shelter," he said, still staring at the couch, "Even a wooden crate would look comfortable. I still can't believe this is happening. It just has to be a dream."

"Well, it's not a dream," I said as I walked up with a pillow and some blankets.

"I can't thank you enough," he said as he took hold of the items in my hands.

"Sure you can," I said, still holding onto them, "After we get you out of the country, you have to tell the international authorities what's going on here."

"I'll need evidence of it," he said. "I'll stay until we can provide some. After that, I swear I'll get everyone I can to look into this."

"That'll be thanks enough for your stay," I said with a smile and let go of the pillow and blankets.

He smiled back and turned back to the couch just as Vaala was finished unfolding the bed from the couch. He tossed the pillow down on the bed and flopped down after it, dropping the blanket on the floor and landing crooked on the bed. The only thing he managed to get straight was his head on the pillow.

"Uh, Inspector?" Vaala said, pointing to the blanket.

He replied with a loud snore.

"I don't think he cares right now," I said.

"Damn, he wasn't kidding when he said he needed sleep," Vaala replied.

I picked up the blanket and spread it over him.

"Poor guy," I said, "It must've been awful."

"Yeah," Vaala agreed. "So he's from Interpol, huh?"

"Yeah," I said, "He said the helicopter that went down in the sea was his."

"You think he might be one of Jigen's partners?" she asked.

"He might be," I replied, looking down at the sleeping cop. "We'll just have to find out tonight, won't we?"

"Yup," she said. "You want to follow in the Inspector's example? I can tell you didn't get much sleep last night."

"It shows, huh?" I replied.

"The raccoon eyes are kinda hard to miss," she said and the grinned, "Have you been up all night thinking about somebody?"

"What are you talking about?" I asked as I started walking to my room.

"You like him, admit it," she said, poking me in the side.

"Stop it," I said. "Maybe I do. I dunno."

"Oh come on. Fess up. You like Jigen."

"So what if I do?" I said as I got to my bedroom door. "It won't change anything. He's going to leave when he finds his partners."

"IF he finds them," Vaala clarified, "We're still not sure what he'll do if he DOESN'T find 'em. And I'll bet you're hoping he'll stay."

"Yeah, but then so is Boober," I pointed out, "If he won't stay for his own brother, what makes you think he'll stay for me?"

"You never know," she said. "Maybe he likes you too."

"I highly doubt it," I said, "He seems to like his job more than anything else. I'm thinking that's the reason he left his clan."

"Did you find out what that job is?" she asked.

"No, he never said," I answered, "All I know is that it takes him all over the world and that there's a lot of money involved. I could tell that just by looking at his gun. It's a really old model, I'd say mid twentieth century, but it looks like brand new. You have to have a lot of money to be able to keep a gun that old in such good shape."

"You got to see his gun?" She replied.

"Yesterday when everyone was sleeping," I clarified. "While his stuff was piled on a table in the lab. I picked it up and looked at it."

"Must be a dangerous job," she said, "Maybe that's why the Inspector was with them."

"Maybe," I replied and then continued into my room. "Like I said, we'll find out tonight."

"Yeah," Vaala replied, "I'll see you later."

"Later," I said as I shut the door behind me.

I climbed into bed, and like the Inspector, I fell asleep immediately.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(That night…)

(Jigen)

I stretched as stone shards exploded away from me. Markl and Krypto immediately started running around the room like a couple of maniacs. I kept my distance to make sure Krypto didn't go nuts on me again. The last thing I wanted to happen was a repeat of the freak-out he had the night before.

"We're gonna go up and watch TV, okay?" Markl said as he and his dog ran out of the room.

I breathed a sigh of relief as soon as they were gone.

"Are you okay, Jigen?" Boober asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I answered.

"We need to find that boy more activities to do," Silverbolt said, "Before he becomes what the Americans refer to as a couch potato."

"When he starts growing a beer gut, then we can worry about him being a couch potato," Red replied, "Until then he can spend all the time he wants in front of that TV."

"We should at least give him some magical exercises," he said, "So that his talents won't go to waste."

"You have a point there," Red agreed. "There isn't really a lot he can do here to practice his magic."

"He could lose his ability if he doesn't practice," Boober added.

"This is truly a concern," Silver said, "Perhaps we should talk to Gold and Vaala about investing in a magic book for the boy to study."

Then Markl came running back into the doorway.

"Hey, the couch is a bed!" he said.

"What?" We all replied.

"The couch turns into a bed for guests to sleep on," he explained. "If the bed's out of the couch that means they had a guest over."

"And chances are they may still be here," Silver added. "Did you see Vaala or Gold while you were up there?"

"No, they're not in the apartment at all," he answered.

"Go back up and watch television, Markl," Silver said. "We're going to get some breakfast. If we see Gold or Vaala, we will ask them about this."

"Okay," Markl replied and disappeared back into the hallway, "Come on, Krypto."

"Arf!" Krypto answered as he followed behind.

We all started our way to the door. Silver and Red kept going as I was stopped by a talon on my shoulder.

"Jigen," Boober said as he pulled me back.

"What is it, Boober?" I asked as I saw Silverbolt and Red disappear into the hallway.

"Do you think this guest might be one of your partners?" he asked.

"I don't think so," I answered, "None of 'em are awake during the day, so they wouldn't be sleeping in a bed."

We continued to the door and walked into the hallway.

"Unless it's…" I thought and hesitated.

"What's wrong, Jigen?"

I shook it off.

"No way," I thought, "There's no way he could wind up here."

"Jigen?"

"Nothing," I said and continued forward, "Let's just get some breakfast."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Gold Demona)

Vaala and I sat in the dining room of the penthouse with our new guest, Inspector Zenigata. He sat facing away from the door and I sat opposite from him. We were pretty much having the same discussion over and over again. Vaala was enjoying every word of it, because he was driving me insane.

"So when the sun is up, you're a human?" he started.

"Yes," I groaned.

"And when the sun's down, you're a gargoyle?" he continued.

"Yes," I groaned again, rolling my eyes.

"Then which one are you?" he asked, "Human or gargoyle?"

"Both and neither, if that satisfies you," I answered, annoyed that I had to answer that question five times already, "Look, I don't know which one I am, I just am."

"So you're not one or the other, but rather you're neither. Because you can't be both. Cuz that'd just be silly."

"I'll slap you silly if we keep this up," I thought.

Then I saw Red and Silverbolt come in.

"Hey Silver!" I greeted, waving to him. "Hey Red!"

"Hey Gold," Red greeted back. "Hey Vaala."

"Good evening, ladies," Silverbolt greeted back, "Who is our new friend?"

"This is Inspector Zenigata of Interpol," I introduced.

He turned around in his seat and waved at them.

"Hiya!" he said.

"He's a cop from Interpol," Vaala added.

"Damn, he's a mess," Red pointed out, picking at his tattered trench. "I think we need to have Boober fix these up."

"I was thinking the same thing," I said.

"You are a police officer?" Silverbolt asked.

"Yessir, I am," he answered, "As a detective of the ICPO, I live in pursuit of a notorious gargoyle master thief."

"A thief, huh?" I replied, "What exactly did he steal?"

"He's a career thief," he said, "He specializes in rare artifacts. Anything that can be sold at a huge price. Sometimes he even goes on wild treasure hunts to find artifacts lost to time. But most of the time, the items he takes already belong to somebody, and usually very important somebodies. So I've made it my life's mission to catch him and his accomplices and bring them to justice."

"Well, I hope you someday catch them," Silverbolt said.

"Well, it hasn't been easy," said the Inspector, "You see he's a master of disguise. He's so good, he can even disguise himself as a human. And that's with stage make-up and costumes. Imagine what he could do with one o' them cloak watches you all got."

Then I saw Boober and Jigen walk in.

"Hey Boober," I greeted, "Hey--"

"JIGEN!" Yelled the inspector as he jumped from his chair and reached into his trench.

"Pops!" Jigen replied with a laugh. "Holy crap! How the hell did YOU survive?"

"I get to ask the questions here, Jigen!" he yelled as he pulled a pair of handcuffs from his trench coat. "You're under arrest!"

"What?!" We all replied.

"On what charges?" I yelled.

"I told you, I'm in pursuit of a criminal mastermind. A gargoyle known as Lupin the Third. Jigen here is one of his accomplices. In fact, I should arrest all of you for harboring him!"

"There must be some kind of mistake!" Boober yelled. "There's no way!"

"Alright Jigen, I'm only gonna ask you once," the Inspector said as used his free talon to grab Jigen by his black tie. "Where the hell is Lupin?!"

"How the hell should I know?" he answered.

"Yeah!" Boober said, "Why would he be associated with such a notorious criminal?"

"Shut up for a minute, Boober, so the grown-ups can talk," Jigen said, not removing his gaze from the Inspector.

"What?" Boober replied.

"You heard me, stay out of this!" Jigen demanded.

"And who's that, Jigen?" asked the Inspector, "Yer stunt double?"

"He's my brother, Jackass," Jigen growled, "He's not involved in this. As I was saying, I don't know where the hell Lupin is. We were all separated when the Hunters attacked your chopper. For all I know, he and Goemon are in a pile of gravel somewhere."

"And what about Fujiko?" asked the Inspector. "I saw her flying away from the chopper, too."

"I didn't see her at all, so I couldn't tell you."

"Well, if you're telling me the truth, then I guess I'll just have to arrest you now and get Lupin when I see him."

"Fine, cuff me, but just from looking at you I can tell you know how frickin' dangerous it is out there. You know you can't take two steps out of this apartment building without getting yer ass shot at."

The Inspector's face suddenly went blank after he said that.

"Oh yeah," he said as he let go of Jigen's tie, "I forgot about that."

"I think you can wait 'till after we're out of here to arrest me," Jigen said.

"You're right," the Inspector agreed and put the handcuffs away, "The crap going on here in this country is a lot bigger than you or me, or even Lupin."

"Nice to know we can come to a frickin' agreement on something," Jigen said and then looked to Boober.

"So..." Boober sobbed, "It's true?"

Jigen lowered his head and then looked up at Boober.

"Sorry you had to find out this way," he said, "Now you know."

"No," Boober quivered, shaking his head in disbelief. "No. I refuse to believe that. It's not true. It's not."

"Look, it's an ugly truth, I know" Jigen said, "That's why the clan never told you anything about it."

"No," Boober replied as he leapt into Jigen, grabbing the edges of his jacket and sobbing into his shirt. "It's not—I can't—How can--?"

"I KNEW IT!" Red screamed, pointing her fist at Jigen, eyes glowing red, "I knew it had to be something illegal!"

"Boober," Jigen said, ignoring Red's ranting.

"Tell me it's not true," Boober sobbed, "Tell me my brother's not a wanted criminal."

"Wanted on the international level," Jigen said, "Enough to be chased around by Interpol. Lupin's been my best friend for years. Even before I left. A long time ago, he wanted to follow in his grandfather's footsteps and become a master thief. He needed a marksman, and so I joined him. It's the only thing I've ever been good at, and this was the only way I could really use it. My first job with him was right in our hometown. And then we got caught and had to run. That's why I had to disappear so quickly without saying good-bye. I'm sorry, Boober. But that's how it is."

"I can't accept that," he sobbed, "I just can't."

Jigen took a big breath and let out a long sigh.

"Sometimes, Boober, I really do wonder if you're gay."

"Would you stop that?!" Boober yelled and backed away from him, "This is NOT the time to be talking like that! You left the clan so you could be a thief?! And you've been looking for your partners in crime just so you can leave the country and continue stealing?!"

"That's exactly how it is," Jigen replied. "I told you you wouldn't like the truth."

"How could you do this to me?!" Boober yelled, "It wasn't enough that you left without saying a word, but then you come back just so I could find out that you've been living the life of a criminal!"

"If I could turn things around, Boober, I would," Jigen said, "But I can't. And that's why I can't stay."

"Well, that's fine," Boober growled as his nose wrinkled, his beak went into a snarl, and his eyes started to glow white, "Because I never want to see your face again."

"Well, unless you plan on breaking every mirror in existence," Jigen growled, pointing to his own face, "You're going to need one hell of a plastic surgeon to make that wish come true. Because minus the beard and the ridiculous red hair, our faces are frickin' identical, remember?"

"Don't remind me!" Boober retorted, "I hope you find your 'friends' and leave so I never have to look at you again."

He then turned to the rest of us, making us all back up.

"I'll be in the statue room if anyone needs me," he grumbled and then slowly turned back to Jigen. After a long awkward moment of staring, Boober clenched his fist and slugged it into Jigen's gut, making him hunch down.

"Red was right," he said, teeth clenched. "She was right to hate you."

He stepped back and out to the hallway and was out of sight. Jigen slowly regained his strength and stood back up, clutching at his gut as we all stared in awe at what had just happened. Even Red was taken aback. Inspector Zenigata just stood there, wide-eyed with confusion.

"What the hell just happened?" asked the baffled Inspector.

"I think we're all as confused as you," Vaala said.

"Jigen, are you okay?" I asked, getting up from my seat.

"I'll be fine," he groaned in pain, "Goddamn, I didn't know he could swing like that. I never thought anything could piss him off that much."

"I think it would be best to have Mac examine you to make sure your injuries are not serious," Silverbolt said.

"I'll take him," I volunteered as I stepped around the table and over to Jigen. I put my talon on his back. "Come on."

"Stop that, I'm fine," he said, still clutching his belly, "I need some time alone."

"But I really think you should--" I said.

"I said leave me alone!" he interrupted me and shoved me off him.

I looked up at him, and for a moment I caught a glimpse of his eyes in the dark void under the rim of his hat. They were eyes filled with anger, sorrow, and confusion all in the same place. He looked at me with those eyes before turning away to the door.

"I'll be on the roof if anyone else wants to chew me out," he said as he walked out of the room and through the hall.

I started to follow, but Silverbolt raised his talon to stop me. I looked up at him, unable to say anything else. He looked back down at me.

"He needs his space," he said, "We must not refuse it."

"But what if he's bleeding from the inside?" I asked.

"Do you honestly think Boober would purposely inflict that kind of a wound to his own brother? Even out of extreme anger?"

"I never thought I'd feel like I'd done something wrong by doing my job," the Inspector said. "I always considered myself a good cop. Now I don't know. I feel like I opened some kind of Pandora's box."

"No, Inspector, you did the right thing," Silverbolt said, "Jigen's choices in life were not your doing. He chose the life of a criminal of his own free will, and therefore must suffer the consequences for it. Even if it means losing the love of his twin brother."

"Red, are you okay?" Vaala asked.

We all looked over and saw Red with her back to the wall, eyes wide and jaw hanging open.

"Red?" I said and walked over to her.

"I've known Boober my whole life," she said, "And I've never seen him get like that. Never. Sure he'd get mad about something stupid, like when something gets dirty and covered in germs or something crazy shit like that. But just now he was on the verge of pure hatred."

"He feels betrayed," Silverbolt replied, "After losing his entire clan, he finds his long-lost brother, only to learn that he had been living his life on the run from the law. I can't imagine that being an easy thing to go through. The truth can sometimes be extremely painful."

"Yeah, and Jigen literally got hurt for it," Vaala replied.

"Red, did you know about this?" I asked. "About Jigen?"

"No," she said, shaking her head, "I didn't."

"But you've been hating on him since he got here," Vaala pointed out.

"I'm mad at him for a different reason, which I STILL don't wanna talk about. And after hearing all that, it just adds a whole 'nother dimension to the reason I had. Don't get me wrong. I still wanna clobber him for what he did, but that's not what I'm worried about right now."

"Well, right now I don't believe either of them want any company," Silverbolt said, looking around to everyone in the room, "I think it would be best if we left them alone to think for the time being."

We all nodded in agreement.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Markl)

I was watching some music videos on a channel called MTV12 when the TV suddenly swung open. Jigen stepped out from behind it.

"Hey Jigen," I said and waved.

"Hey kid," he said back.

"I wonder what happened?" I thought, "He looks really bummed, and he's clutching his stomach."

"Stomach hurt?" I asked.

"Yeah," he answered, "It's not serious, though. It'll pass."

"Oh ok," I said, though I didn't quite believe him, "Going to the roof?"

"Yeah," he said and pushed the TV back where it was.

"I'll be out there as long as I can," he said as he turned his cloaker on, "So don't expect me back in the next five hours."

"Okay," I said as he walked out the door.

"Something major must've happened," I thought.

Krypto suddenly perked up and jumped off the bed.

"What's up, Krypto?" I asked as he walked over to the TV and started pawing at it where the TV touched the wall.

I turned the TV off and jumped off the bed.

"What's wrong, boy?" I asked as I walked over to the TV and put my talons on it.

"Arr rarr! Rar!" He barked and pawed at the TV some more.

"Ok, I'll let you in," I said and pulled the TV back with both talons.

We both walked into the penthouse, and I shut the door behind us. Krypto immediately started running down the hall and around the corner to the statue room. I followed him there and saw Boober sitting on the floor, slouched over his laundry tub, clutching to his scrubbing board. Krypto ran over to him.

"I'm all alone," he said to himself, "I've lost everyone. My brother, my clan, my brother again. Everyone I love always leaves me."

When I got closer, I realized that he was crying. Krypto nudged his nose on Boober's arm.

"Boober?" I said softly.

"Go away," he said, "Leave me alone."

I walked over to where I was in front of him.

"What happened?" I asked. "I saw Jigen walking out holding his stomach."

"Probably to go smoke," he said, "He's always smoking. Those cigarettes will kill him, if he doesn't get himself killed or arrested first."

"Arrested?" I said, "What do you mean?"

"I don't want to talk about it," he said, "I can't stand this feeling. This feeling of always being alone."

Krypto nudged at his arm again, this time pushing himself down under it so Boober's talon rested on Krypto's head. Krypto then climbed his way into Boober's lap. Krypto then looked up at Boober and made a whining noise. Boober then rubbed Krypto's head, and let out a half smile, even though he was still crying.

"But you're not alone, Boober," I said.

He looked up at me.

"You got all of us," I said. "And not just me and Krypto. You have Gold, and Vaala, and Silver, and Mac, and Red. We're a clan now, right?"

Krypto stood up on Boober's lap and started licking his face. Boober sneered and used one talon to push Krypto back down and the other to wipe his face where he was licked. Krypto lowered his head and whined, knowing that Boober didn't like what he'd just done. Boober then went back to rubbing his head. He stopped crying and let out a loud sigh. He looked back up at me and smiled.

"I suppose you're right," he said, "We are kind of a clan now aren't we?"

"Yeah," I said, "And you know what? If you want, I'll be your brother instead."

He chuckled and gave me another half smile.

"I never told this to anyone," I said, "But I lost two clans before I found this one."

"Two?" he replied.

"Uh-huh," I said, "I don't remember a whole lot about my first clan because I was really little when they died, but I do remember after that feeling all alone. Then Master Howl's clan found me."

"Master Howl?"

"He was a sorcerer," I said, "He and his clan were living in the suburbs of Paradigm City, and I guess I happened to wander into where their clan was staying. Master Howl and his wife Sofie adopted me and became my new parents. That's where I met Krypto. He was their dog beast."

"So I guess this Master Howl was the one who taught you magic."

"Yeah," I said, "He decided that he never wanted me to feel alone again. So he did two things. The first thing he did was to give Krypto to me. So I'd always have someone with me in case something happens. The second thing he did was make me his apprentice."

"So then what?"

"Well, after a while we were really starting to feel like a family. Master Howl and Sofie and Krypto and me, and the rest of the clan, too. But then the Hunters came and took everything away."

"For the second time," Boober replied.

"Yeah, except this time I wasn't alone. All this time, I've had Krypto with me. And we've been able to survive with all that Master Howl was able to teach me."

"And you're so sure that this clan won't end up the same?" Boober asked.

"Well, with everything that goes on here, you can never be completely sure. But I have faith that everything will eventually turn out fine."

He smiled at me and then looked down at Krypto, who had his head rested on Boober's lap as he rubbed it.

"He brought you down here, didn't he?" he asked.

"Yeah," I said, "He did."

"He's a good dog," he said.

"Yeah," I agreed. "He's the best."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Jigen)

I walked up the hall, with my talon on my still aching gut. I considered stopping at the lab to have Mac look at it, but I really didn't feel like seeing anyone else tonight, least of all someone that can barely speak English. I got to the door to the apartment and paused a moment. I looked over to the other corner of the hall that led to the statue room and let out a long sigh.

"I didn't want it to go like this," I thought. "But then I guess this is what I get for not being straight with him from the beginning."

I pushed the door open and walked into the living room. Markl and Krypto were sitting on the couch, which was folded out into a bed.

"Hey Jigen," he greeted.

"Hey kid," I greeted back as I entered and shut the door again so he could watch TV.

"Stomach hurt?" he asked, noticing that I still had my talon on my gut.

"Yeah," I answered, "It's not serious, though. It'll pass."

"Oh ok," he replied, "Going to the roof?"

"Yeah," I answered as I walked past the TV and over to the front door.

I turned on my cloaker and opened the door.

"I'll be out there as long as I can, so don't expect me back in the next five hours."

"Okay," he said as he and his dog watched me leave.

I walked out of the apartment and up the hall to the stairway.

"So this is what it feels like to lose your brother?" I asked in thought, "Was this what it was like for you, Boober? For all these years? Is this what I put you through? Man, it sucks. I'd hate me too."

I walked up the steps and opened the door at the end. I was surprised to find Gold standing out there, seemingly waiting for me.

"What the hell?" I reacted, confused, pointing to the door, "Didn't I leave you in the dining room downstairs?"

She turned around and started walking to me.

"Look, I told you I need to be alone," I said to her.

She didn't say a word to me, but instead kept walking towards me.

"Hey, didn't you hear me?" I asked as she made her way closer, "I said--"

I couldn't continue that sentence because she held my beak shut and locked her lips to it. I would've been lying if I said I didn't like it. But with what had just happened downstairs, it was not the most appropriate thing she could've done. I shoved her away after like a second.

"What the fickin' hell's gotten into you?" I yelled.

She giggled and turned away. She started running to the edge of the roof.

"Hey, where're you going?" I asked and ran after her.

Before I could catch her, she jumped over the edge and into the alley below.

"Hey!" I yelled and ran faster.

I looked down and saw her reach her hands out and slow her fall by clinging to the wall.

"What the hell is she doing?" I wondered in thought. "Is she TRYING to get herself caught?"

I looked around to see if there was anyone coming. I saw nobody, so I jumped down after her, wings wide open to act as a parachute. Because I still had my cloaker on, any human dumb enough to look down the alley would see a man drifting down from the roof. I landed next to Gold, who just giggled and ran away some more.

"What the hell?" I thought and started running after her, but then I felt a sudden pain in the back of my head. After that, everything went black.


	8. Chapter 7: Let It Be

Gold Demona

**Chapter VII**

Let It Be

(Gold Demona)

(Six hours later…) (2110 A.D.)

"Well shit, that was depressing," Vaala said as we entered the living room from the penthouse.

"I don't even think I can sleep after all that," said the Inspector.

"Yeah, same here," I said as I shut the door behind us and locked it. "I wonder how long Jigen stayed on the roof?"

"Probably as long as his cloaker would last," Vaala said. "He should already be in the statue room by now."

"After the way Boober slugged him?" I said, "I don't think so. If anything he'd be AVOIDING the statue room."

"Well, he never came back to the dining room," Vaala said.

"And he wasn't in the lab with Mac," I added.

"And he obviously ain't anywhere in here," added the Inspector.

"What if he never came back in?" I asked.

"Why would he do a stupid thing like that?" Vaala said. "There'd be nowhere for him to hide after his cloaker ran out."

"And unlike me, he'll turn to stone with the sunrise," the Inspector added. "Which isn't long in coming. So if he's still out there when the sun goes up, he'll be a sitting duck for them Hunter guys."

"Oh, I hope that's not the case," I said.

"Don't worry, Gold," Vaala said. "I'm sure he's inside the penthouse with the rest of 'em. Safe and sound."

"I hope so," I said.

"You got feelings for 'im or somethin'?" the Inspector asked. "You seem pretty worried for someone who's only known 'im for a couple of nights."

"I wish people would stop asking me that," I replied, "Yes, I like him, ok? I'll have it tattooed to my forehead. I like him, and I'm worried about him. I know there's no chance of him staying if he finds Lupin, especially after what happened tonight with Boober. But still…"

"Look, Gold," Vaala said, "I'm gonna unlock the penthouse again and check to see if he's in there. If he's not, we'll both call in at work today and dedicate the day to searching for him."

"I don't want you to use your personal time," I said.

"Our mission is to help gargoyles get out of this country alive," she said, "Even internationally wanted criminals. If he's out there, we have to find him and bring him back."

"Right," I said, finding myself unable to argue, "We'll say it's a family emergency."

"Exactly," she said and picked the remote up.

She punched in the combination and went inside.

"How much do you know about him?" I asked the Inspector after Vaala left.

"Who, Jigen?" he replied.

"No, the Prime Ruler," I replied in sarcasm, rolling my eyes, "Of course Jigen."

"Well, he's a brilliant marksman, I can tell ya that," he said. "He could hit a fly from ten meters away, and on a quick draw, too, while looking away from it. He'll just whip around and go kapow! Dead fly. Of all the gunmen I've seen in my career, he's got the quickest draw and the deadliest aim. Believe me, he's not the kind of guy you want to screw around with. Er! In a matter of speaking, heh-heh."

"I know what you meant," I said.

"Lupin's not a bad aim himself," he continued, "Not as good as Jigen, though. But that's a whole 'nother topic. I could yak yer ear off about Lupin."

"I don't care about Lupin," I said.

"Well, ya should," he said, "At least a little, cuz Jigen goes just about anywhere Lupin goes. It's rare that those two are ever on separate jobs. Of course when that happens, I go after Lupin, but more often than not those two act as a pair."

"Well, he's not in here," Vaala said as she walked back into the living room. "Markl said he saw him leave the apartment, but that's the last anyone saw him."

"Then it looks like we'll be taking some personal time off work," I said. "You coming along, Inspector?"

"No thanks," he said and sat down on the couch, "I'll stay here and watch the television, if ya don't mind."

"Hey, make yourself at home," Vaala said, "Feel free to raid the fridge if you get hungry."

"Okie-dokie," he said as he sat down on the couch that was made to be his bed.

"Looks like the sun's almost up," I said, looking to the balcony door as I noticed some light peeking through the closed blinds. "I'll go change and get ready."

"Right," Vaala said as we both turned and walked to our rooms. "Me too."

She went into her room, and I went into mine, shutting the door behind me. Almost immediately, I could feel my organs shifting around.

"I hope nothing happened to him," I thought as I waited for the changing to end.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(That afternoon…)

Our search was both fruitless and depressing. The first place we looked was the roof, because that was where he said he was going to be. Of course we didn't see him there, so we spent the day walking around the city, checking every inch of every alley, dumpster, crevice, and abandoned building we could find. I was beginning to think he wasn't even in the city anymore.

"What if he just up and left?" I asked in my tired state.

"Somehow, I don't think he'd do something that stupid," Vaala answered, "He has to be somewhere in the city."

I let out a loud sigh. I didn't like thinking that he may have been found and killed, but with every stone we turned my hopes kept getting lower. It was around four in the afternoon, and we were running out of stones we could turn.

"Come on," she said, "It's getting late, and we're not that far from the apartment. Let's go back home and ask the Inspector if he's seen anything on TV about him."

I nodded as we started making our way back to the apartment.

"You really like him a lot, don't you?" Vaala asked.

"I guess I make it obvious, don't I?" I replied.

"You do remember that he's a criminal right?"

"Yeah," I said in a 'duh' type of tone, "As if that whole fiasco last night didn't make that obvious."

"And you do remember that he smokes, right?"

"How can I forget?" I asked, "Every time he's near me, I can smell the tobacco on his suit and on his breath. I hate the smell of cigarettes, but somehow the more time I spend close to him, the more I like it on him. Why is that?"

"Love is a weird thing," she said. "I know I could never understand it."

"Yeah, me neither," I replied as we got to the apartment building.

We went up the elevator and down the hall. We entered the apartment to find the Inspector sitting on the couch, staring at the TV and holding a pair of chopsticks in one talon and a steaming hot cup of Ramen noodles in the other.

"Hey, yer back!" he greeted with a grin, but then frowned after I closed the door. "I take it yer search wasn't very successful."

"No, and we looked everywhere we could think of looking," Vaala answered.

"I didn't know we had cupped Ramen," I said.

"What, this? Oh, no. This is mine," he said. "I never go anywhere without at least a dozen cups of these."

"I told you that you were welcome to raid the fridge," Vaala said, "You didn't have to dig out your rations."

"I know, I know," he said as he lifted some noodles with his chopsticks and slurped them up, "Force of habit I guess."

"Why is an Interpol cop living on cups of Ramen?" I wondered out loud. "Don't they pay you enough to buy real food?"

"Oh sure, they pay me plenty," he answered, "I just end up using most of my earnings on things to help me catch Lupin. Ya gotta keep up to date with that guy. He's always coming up with new tricks, and I always have to try and keep up. After that, Ramen is all I can really afford to eat."

Vaala and I both stared at him, and then to each other. I could tell she was thinking the same thing I was.

"Damn! This guy's obsessed," I thought.

"Well," I said as I decided to change the subject, "Did you watch the news at all?"

"Sure, I have," he answered, "I've been watching nothing but news all day, but all they ever talk about is stuff about the Prime Ruler. Just who the hell is this guy anyway? I mean I know he's the leader of this country and all, but just who does he think he is? He makes these laws against gargoyles and locks up the border so nobody gets in or out without his say-so."

"That's how it's been for the last several years," Vaala pointed out, "And the people here like it, so these laws all go unopposed."

"Yeah," he replied, "Well just because everybody likes the idea of the world being flat doesn't make it true, ya know?"

"There wasn't anything on any gargoyles being found, was there?" I asked.

"If yer talkin' about Jigen," he replied, "No, they haven't said anything that would relate to him. Not even so much as a mention of the word gargoyle."

"Well, that's good." Vaala said. "That means he wasn't found by the Hunters, because if he was it'd be all over the news. They like to brag about things like that."

"Well, I just don't get it," I said, "Where could he be?"

"Don't worry," Vaala said, "If he's dead set on leaving the country, he'll come back."

"I guess you're right," I replied.

"Jigen's a big boy," said the Inspector, "He can take care of himself. No doubts about it. The only guy that's ever been able to find him and Lupin in their sleep is yours truly. And those two've gotten really good at finding places to hide while they sleep."

"And of course, you have to keep up with all the places they hide in, right?" Vaala said.

"Of course," he said, "Gotta keep up with them. The only one better than them at hiding in his sleep is Goemon."

"Goemon?" I repeated.

"Yeah, he's Lupin's swordsman," he explained, "A well-trained samurai and a master of the slice-n-dice. His sword can cut through anything. Goemon's skills with his sword are like Jigen's skills with his gun. Unmatchable. Not the kind of guy you want mad at you. He's only with them some of the time, though. So I don't know much else about him."

"Hmm," I replied and then turned towards my bedroom. "I'm gonna go take a nap."

"Okay," Vaala said. "I'll let you know if anything happens."

"Thanks," I said as I walked in and shut the door behind me.

I looked down at my bed, but I couldn't bring myself to lie down on it. Instead, I turned around and sat down on it.

"Where else could he have gone?" I thought.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(That night…)

(Jigen)

I woke up and found myself handcuffed into a chair with a low-hanging ceiling light shining down from directly above me. I tried to move but then found that my feet were cuffed together as well.

"These are gargoyle cuffs," I thought, "I can't break 'em off."

"Hey! What the hell is going on?" I yelled out to the darkness a head of me.

I couldn't see much of the room because of the light above my head. My hat was neatly placed on my lap so the light couldn't be shaded, making for maximum blindness in a dark room where the only light was the one above me.

Then I saw Gold walking up in her human cloak.

"What the hell is this, Gold?" I growled, "Answer me!"

She just giggled as she walked up and stroke my beard with her hand.

"Don't worry, Jigen," she said, but with a voice that wasn't hers. "Everything will be clear in a moment."

"That voice," I said, recognizing the voice, "Fujiko!"

"Bingo!" she said and tore off the prosthetic makeup that covered her feminine gargoyle features. A slender female of light pink skin and flowing brown hair.

"Heh heh heh heh," laughed another voice from behind her, "Congratulations, Jigen. You won the grand prize."

The voice then flipped a switch so the rest of the room was lit. Immediately, I recognized him. The smug weasley gargoyle of pale red skin, with his jet-black hair in a short afro and long thick sideburns going down to his jawline. He wore a bright red jacket over a royal blue shirt and a lavender tie.

"Lupin!" I laughed, "Son of a bitch, are you ever a sight for sore eyes!"

But then I remembered my position.

"Wait a minute, what's the idea of knocking me out like that? And why am I cuffed to a chair?"

"Sorry about that, Jigen," he said with a big grin on his face, taking the cigarette he was smoking out of his mouth, "Had to make sure you were the real deal. Cut 'im loose, will ya Goemon?"

"Certainly," said a deep voice from behind me.

I heard a quick swish in the air and then I felt the cuffs just slip off.

I looked back and saw Goemon, the quiet samurai of pale green skin and long, poofy black hair. He calmly placed his sword back in its sheath.

"Where the hell have you guys been this whole time?" I asked and looked back at Lupin. "I've been trying to find you all over the place."

"I know," Lupin replied, "We've been watching you."

"Watching me? For what?"

"That gadget you're wearing on your wrist is some piece of work," Lupin said, "When I first saw you, I wasn't sure it was you. I mean you looked like you, but a human you. And plus you were with some blonde, and we know how you are about women. So we kept an eye on you the past couple of nights. Now it's obvious that this country of the ironic name of New Liberty is VERY much anti-gargoyle. The guys that shot down the old man's helicopter didn't even give a rat's ass that he was from Interpol. So tell me, Jigen. Who's the girl?"

"Her name's Gold Demona," I answered, "She's part of a group dedicated to sneaking surviving gargoyles out of the country. It was by pure luck that I found them. I crashed into their living room after gliding away from the chopper attack."

"Well, I'm glad you didn't end up in the drink, Jigen," he said and raised his talon to me. "We were all really worried. It's good to have you back."

"Yeah," I replied and shook his talon, "You don't know how happy I am to be back. Where are we anyway?"

"In an old abandoned house down in the harbor," he answered. "Apparently, this place used to be part of the main port back when this place was still part of Russia, but they built a pier and another house over it."

"We have to go back," I said.

"Back?" he said, "You mean to the building you were staying at?"

"Yeah, that's our only ticket out of the country. They'll give everyone cloakers, and we'll be able to leave using their system."

"Sounds like a plan," he agreed. "Does anyone object?"

"I'm all for leaving," Fujiko replied, "This place is a total drag."

"I have no objections to leaving," Goemon replied. "This country obviously has no sense of honor. There is no point in us staying here any longer."

"Then it's settled," Lupin said, "We'll go ahead and change so you can take us to our ticket to freedom."

"Right," I replied.

"I just hope I'm still welcome there," I thought.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Gold Demona)

"Hey, Gold!" I heard Vaala yell as she knocked on my bedroom door.

"What?" I yelled back, still half asleep.

"Get out here," she yelled.

"Why?" I yelled back.

"You'll find out if you come out here."

"Fine," I yelled as I got up off my bed and got dressed.

I tumbled out of bed and walked out of my room to find Jigen standing there in the living room.

"Jigen!" I said as I walked up to him, "Where did you go?"

"I got sidetracked," he said.

And then I noticed the three people standing with him.

"And who are they?"

They each tore off their prosthetic make-up to reveal each a gargoyle. One was a male of light red skin, short black hair and long sideburns wearing a bright red suit jacket. Another was a male of light green skin and long black hair wearing samurai robes and holding a sheathed sword in his left talon. The third was a female of light pink skin and brown hair wearing a small blouse and an even smaller skirt.

"They must be your partners," Vaala said. "You found them."

"Yeah," Jigen said and turned to me. "How's Boober doing?"

"I haven't seen him since last night," I answered, "From what I hear he's doing fine, though. I was so worried that punch to the gut might've been serious."

"Well obviously it wasn't, or I wouldn't be here now," he said. "So everyone else is in the penthouse?"

"Yeah," Vaala answered, "The Inspector's finally getting his clothes fixed and Mac is making him a cloaker."

"Inspector? HA hahaha!" The red male with the sideburns laughed loudly, "Ol' Pops is here too?"

"Yep, Gold here found 'im yesterday," Jigen chuckled, pointing at me.

"This is great," he said, "We can all get out of here and go on with our lives like nothing happened."

"I take it you're Lupin?" I asked.

"But of course," he answered as he stepped forward, shoving Jigen aside to take my talon and kiss it, "Lupin the Third. Jigen, how rude of you not to introduce us. The silent samurai here is Goemon."

The light-green male bowed his head.

"And this vision of loveliness is Fujiko," he said, pointing to the pink female behind him.

"Gold Demona," I said, pointing to myself with my free talon, and then pointing to Vaala. "And my 'partner in crime' here is Vaala."

"Partner in crime?" Vaala chuckled, "That's really lame, Gold."

"Well, if you think about it, it's true," I said. "Except for you, everyone on this floor is breaking the law just for existing. And you're breaking the law by helping us. So if you're going by this country's standpoint, we're all criminals here. Even the Inspector."

"Hee hee hee hee, I like how this girl thinks," Lupin said and nudged at Jigen. "So I guess you were cloaked too when we saw you with Jigen."

"Um yeah," I answered with a blush.

"She was showing me around the city," Jigen clarified, "So I could try and figure out where you might've been hiding, but you found me before I even had the chance."

"Well, I'll have to thank you ladies for taking care of Jigen for us," Lupin said, placing his talon on Jigen's shoulder. "I know he can be a handful at times, especially since Jigen's not really one for trusting women."

"I just about had to," Jigen said, "This place is frickin' crawling with 'em."

"Hey!" Vaala yelled, "You say that like it's a bad thing!"

"It's not," he said, "I'm just saying there's a lot more female than male around here."

"Hey, I have an idea," Lupin said, "Why don't we go down to this penthouse you mentioned and say hi to the old man, huh?"

"Sure, why not?" I said and then looked over to Vaala.

She picked up the remote, punched in the combination, and opened the door.

"Hmm," Lupin said, seemingly impressed.

Vaala and I went inside first, and everyone else followed behind us. When we were inside, Jigen stopped just past the door.

"What's up, Jigen?" Lupin asked.

I turned around and noticed him stopped. He looked up at me.

"I think I'll go on the roof for a smoke," he said and started stepping back.

"If you're worried about Boober, he's in the statue room," Vaala said, "He's busy mending the Inspector's clothes, so he won't be out of there for the whole night. We'll be going to the dining room to meet up with whoever's there."

Jigen then relaxed and stepped forward again.

"Boober?" Lupin repeated. "As in your twin brother, Boober?"

"Yeah," Jigen said.

"He has a twin?" asked Fujiko.

"Yeah," Jigen answered, "And right now I don't think he wants me anywhere near him."

"So he knows the hard truth now, huh?" Lupin asked.

"Yeah," Jigen answered, lowering his head.

"This is really getting interesting," Lupin said. "Let's move on."

I nodded and we kept walking down the hall into the dining room. We found Silverbolt sitting at the table with the Inspector, who was wearing nothing but a pair of pajama pants. Even his hat was missing.

"Hiya Pops!" Lupin greeted with a big grin on his face.

The Inspector almost fell out of his chair when he heard him. He looked up at Lupin and then jumped up to his feet.

"Lupin!" the Inspector yelled and reached into his imaginary trench coat, "I knew I'd find you sooner or later! You're under arrest!"

"Kinda hard to arrest me with no handcuffs, Pops," Lupin pointed out, still smiling, "Nice outfit, by the way."

The Inspector's rage faded out completely as he realized that he was still wearing only pajama pants.

"Did you forget that your trench coat's being mended, Inspector?" Vaala asked.

"Not to mention the rest of your clothes?" I added.

"Oh yeah," he said and sat back down in the chair, "Force of habit. I have to try and control my urge to try and arrest you. At the moment, there are bigger things to worry about."

"Like this country's system of law?" Lupin said.

"Precisely," said the Inspector. "I was just talking to Silverbolt here about it."

Lupin walked up to the table and raised his talon to Silverbolt.

"I'm sure you must've heard a lot of bad things about me from this Old-timer here. And they're probably all true. I am Lupin the Third."

Silverbolt smiled as he stood from his seat and shook Lupin's talon.

"I don't judge people by what other people say about them," Silverbolt replied. "Even if what they say is true. Even a good man can do terrible things."

"Yes, but just because a man is good doesn't make him a gentleman," Lupin said and let go of Silverbolt's talon.

"But what's the good of being a gentleman," Silverbolt said as he sat back down in his chair, "If you have no honor?"

"Touché," Lupin said as he sat down on one of the empty chairs around the table.

Fujiko took a chair next to him, and Goemon sat in the next one. Jigen leaned back against the wall. I sat down on the counter on the far right wall.

"I'm gonna go check on everyone else," Vaala said as she turned to the doorway, "And to let Mac know that she'll be making three more cloakers."

"We will also need to explain the route everyone will be taking," Silverbolt added, "So we'll need Mac to bring us her map of New Liberty."

"Right," Vaala said as she walked out.

"So, Old-timer," Lupin started, looking over to the Inspector, "I'm guessing you plan on staying here to gather evidence to take to the U.N. Am I right?"

"As much I'd hate to risk losing track of you, Lupin," the Inspector answered, "I can't ignore what's going on here. As soon as I can find something I can present as evidence, I'll take it with me out of the country."

"But you realize that you have to be careful when showing evidence against the leader of a nation," Lupin added, "Remember what happened when you tried to bust the regent of Cagliostro for counterfeiting?"

"Yeah, I remember," he grumbled.

"Cagliostro?" I wondered out loud.

"A country so small it's not even on the map," Lupin said. "The regent that ruled this nation, Count Cagliostro, had a huge counterfeiting ring. Fake bills of every kind of currency for every nation you can think of."

"And no one caught this counterfeiting?" Silverbolt asked in puzzlement. "One would think that a scheme that huge would be seen by the world."

"That's the thing," Jigen answered, "Their ring was kept so secret that anyone that tried to find anything about it was never seen or heard from again."

"And the money they were making," Lupin continued, "Was made so well that nobody could tell them from the real thing. So for hundreds of years, this ring went on without a hitch. At least until we came into the picture. Fujiko had gone there a month or so before we got there because she was looking to snatch some printing plates."

"I went to Cagliostro because that was where Lupin was," the Inspector said. "He'd left one of his notorious notes at the castle threatening to steal a valuable treasure from the Count."

"Like a good gentleman thief should," Lupin said, "And then you dug deeper than you were supposed to and ended up falling down a trap door into the catacombs."

"If I recall, Lupin, you ended up down there too," the Inspector added.

"Yeah, but that was just cuz I pissed the guy off. Anyway, after that we managed to get back into the Count's castle and found his hidden printing presses. Pops took some of the printed sheets of money with him and showed it to the U.N."

"Those bastards," said the Inspector, "They dismissed everything I said and started arguing with each other instead."

"Yeah, and then I had to bail your ass by posing as a news reporter," Fujiko said. "So you could show the printing presses on international TV. Of course I only did that so you'd show me where the printing presses were."

"Hee hee hee," Lupin laughed. "Yeah, Fujiko got away with a sack full of the printing plates. At any rate, it got Interpol to get off its lazy ass and put a stop to it."

"What did you do in all this, Jigen?" I asked.

"Goemon and I sat back and waited for the action to come to us," he answered, "We got it when all hell broke loose towards the end. Goemon got to slice the armor off of some ninjas, and I got to play with an anti-tank gun. This was a long time ago, though. Lupin wore a green jacket back then."

"Yeah, but this red one suits me much better," he said.

"I'll bet next you'll find a pink jacket and think that suits you better."

"You never know, Jigen," Lupin said, "Stranger things have happened."

"So it is safe to say that you will not be leaving the country with us," Goemon said, looking at the Inspector.

"That's right," he answered, "I'm staying until I can find a way to bust this thing wide open."

"We wish you luck, Old Man," Lupin said, "It won't be as much fun without you chasing us around, but I think we can manage."

"Oh don't worry about that," said the Inspector, "When I'm done here, you're back to being priority numero uno."

"Hee hee hee, thanks for the warning," Lupin replied.

Vaala walked back into the room, "Mac says we can hold the briefing in her lab so she can take samples and make cloakers for everybody that needs them. Inspector, here's yours."

She tossed the cloaker to the Inspector, who caught it and grinned. He quickly put it on with the excitement of a six-year-old opening a new toy. He pressed the button, and his image was replaced with that of a middle-aged human of tan skin. Lupin grinned as he watched, Fujiko looked amazed, and Goemon didn't react at all. The Inspector broke into a fit of giggles.

"I need a mirror," he said, "I have to see what I look like."

"Gee, Pops," Lupin chuckled, "I've never seen you this eager to look at yourself."

"Here, stop giggling," Fujiko said as she pulled a compact mirror out of her blouse and tossed it to the Inspector. "It's creepy."

The inspector caught it and looked at his reflection. His giggling instantly stopped and he frowned.

"I look old," he said.

"Well yeah, Pops," Lupin chuckled, "Why else do you think we call ya 'Pops'?"

"I'm not that much older than you, Lupin," the Inspector said and turned off the cloaker, looking at himself again. "But I look like I'm twice yer age. I never noticed it 'til now."

"It could be because you do not turn to stone during the day," Silverbolt pointed out. "So you continue growing as other gargoyles are frozen in stone."

"I knew there was a reason they taught us to put the badge away when we're off duty," the Inspector replied and rested his head on the table, giving the mirror back to Fujiko. "Well, crap. That was depressing."

"Cheer up, Pops," Lupin said, patting the Inspector on the shoulder, "You still have your health. As long as you're still strong enough to chase me, everything should be fine, right?"

"I guess yer right," he said and sat back up. "Why don't you go to that briefing thing? Yer leaving the country, right?"

"You bet I am," Lupin replied as he stood up from the table.

"Then follow me to the lab," Vaala said as she exited.

Lupin, Fujiko, Goemon, and Jigen all followed her out, leaving me with Silverbolt and the Inspector. I watched as they all left.

"Yer gonna be disappointed, ya know," the Inspector said to me, "If yer hoping he'll stay."

"I know," I said.

"So you have fallen in love with him," Silverbolt said.

"Unfortunately," I replied.

"Falling in love is not unfortunate," he said.

"It is when the guy you're in love with doesn't feel the same way," I replied.

"Love's a tough thing," said the Inspector. "I could never keep it for the life of me. I'm too obsessed with Lupin to stay in love for very long."

I let out a long sigh.

"I wish it was that easy for me to fall out of love," I said.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Jigen)

Mac went on and on in her Scottish accent, pointing to places on the map where we were supposed to go. I didn't pay attention to any of it. Which was odd because normally I'd pay attention to everything. But for some reason, I couldn't stay focused enough to try and understand the thick Scottish accent. Lupin seemed to understand everything just fine, which was all that really mattered.

"This plan's so simple," Lupin said. "It's genius in its simplicity."

"Thank ye," Mac said, "Eht took mohnths ta breng ehvrithin tagithar ta mehk eht wark."

"It's very well put-together," he complimented. "Incredibly easy to pull off. In fact, I say once the cloakers are done we high-tail it out of here."

"Sounds good to me," Fujiko said, "The sooner we get out of here, the better."

"Agreed," Goemon said.

Lupin nudged me with his elbow.

"How bout it, Jigen?" he said, "We leave tonight?"

"Sure," I answered and then turned to the door.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"To smoke," I answered as I walked through the door out to the hall.

As I started my way down the hall, I saw Markl and Krypto come running around the corner from the statue room.

When he saw me, he gave me a nasty look and then kicked me in the leg.

"Ow!" I yelled in pain, "What the hell?!"

"You made Boober cry!" he answered. "Jerk!"

"Geez, it's like every night I stay here somebody hits me," I said. "Makes me glad I'm leaving tonight. After that I can stop being everybody's frickin' punching bag."

"You're leaving tonight?" he said in a much less angry tone.

"That's what I said," I replied as I limped past him to the apartment door. "You can tell Boober that he won't have to worry about seeing me after tonight."

I went out to the apartment. Vaala was in the kitchen.

"Hey Jigen," she greeted, "Where you going?"

"The roof," I said. "I need a smoke."

"Are you coming back this time?" she asked.

"It was Lupin that made me disappear last night," I said as I limped across the living room, "I don't think that's gonna happen tonight."

"Hey, you're hurt again. What happened?"

"Markl decided to be a hero and kicked me in the leg," I said and turned on my cloak.

"Well, he's getting a stern talking to next time I see him," she said.

"It's not like I didn't deserve it," I said as I opened the door and stepped out.

I walked down the hall, up the stairs, and out to the roof. I didn't even wait until I got to the edge of the roof to reach into my jacket pocket for my cigarettes and lighter. I stuck a cigarette in my beak and lit it.

I looked over to the sea, where this whole mess began.

"I'll be glad when this is all over," I thought as I took in a long breath and blew out a big puff of smoke.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Markl)

"He's leaving tonight…" I said to Krypto. He looked up at me.

I stayed standing in the hallway after Jigen left. After a while I saw some gargoyles leaving Mac's lab.

"Who are they?" I thought.

"I'm just saying," said a light-green male. "He seems distracted."

"He's probably just tired," said a light-red male, "Don't worry, Goemon. A good day's rest out of the country will fix him right up."

"I hope you're right, Lupin," said the one called Goemon.

"You worry too much, Goemon," said a pink girl. "You have to remember that he's been here a few nights. So maybe the thought of leaving has his mind in a blur."

"Well, we'll find out as soon as we find him," the one called Lupin said as they stopped in front of me. "Oh, hello."

"If you're looking for Jigen," I said. "He's on the roof."

"Thanks kid," Lupin said as they walked past me and out to the apartment.

"Those must be his partners," I whispered to Krypto. "Weird-looking, aren't they?"

"Arrrr!" Krypto agreed.

Then I saw Boober come around the corner, holding the Inspector's clothes, now fixed and neatly folded in his talons.

"He's leaving tonight," I said.

"The Inspector?" He replied.

"No, Jigen."

"Oh good," he replied as he walked past me, "And he can stay gone for all I care."

I watched as he walked around the other corner to the dining room.

"I wonder if he actually means it," I said to Krypto.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Jigen)

It was a clear night, not a cloud in the sky, but with all the city lights it was hard to see very many stars, even though this was one of the taller buildings in the city. I was on my fifth cigarette, and it was running out fast.

"It's nice out tonight," I heard Lupin say as he came up behind me.

"Yeah," I said. "The air's starting to chill. Autumn's around the corner. I can smell it in the air."

"It'd be a good night for a glide if it didn't mean you'd be killed for it," he said.

I looked over to him, a light-skinned human male with a black afro and long thick sideburns. A wide crooked grin was on his face.

"I think you look better this way," I said, referring to his human cloak.

"But it hides my handsome gargoyle features," he said.

"Right," I chuckled.

"Is something on your mind, Jigen?" he asked. "You kinda seem out of it tonight."

"My stay here hasn't been the most pleasant," I answered.

"Did your brother have something to do with it?"

"Yeah, part of it," I answered as I flicked that cigarette away and pulled out another one, "I really wasn't expecting to find him in a place like this."

"What made him come here? He always seemed to be the type to avoid dangerous places like this."

"He came with the clan," I answered as I lit the new cigarette, "They were killed not long before I got here. This group here saved Boober from certain death."

"Man, that's harsh," he said. "Sorry to hear that."

"And right after that, Pops showed up and tried to arrest me."

"And I'm willing to bet things got ugly after Boober found out what you've been doing all these years."

"He pounded his fist halfway through my stomach."

"Ouch!"

"That's what I tried to say, but I had the wind knocked out of me at the moment."

"Was that last night?" he asked, "Cuz I was noticing you had your talon on your stomach."

"Yeah, it was last night," I answered and puffed out another long cloud of smoke. "I'll be ready to leave after this cigarette."

"Alright," Lupin said and patted me on the shoulder. "Just come back in when you're ready."

"Right," I said and watched him go through the door and down the stairs.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Lupin)

I went through the door and down the stairs. When I got to the bottom and walked through that door, I found Goemon right where I left him, standing guard next to the door.

"So what was it?" he asked.

"He's had it rough the past couple of nights," I said. "We can leave when he's done smoking. I think I can count on you to keep standing guard here until then, right?"

He nodded and grunted.

"Thanks, Goemon," I said and put my talon on his shoulder, "I promise when we get out of here, I'll get you all the pickled radishes and miso soup you can eat."

"Do you actually mean that?" he asked in an annoyed tone, "Or is this like all the other times you promised me that?"

"Well, uh…" I stuttered nervously.

"I'll keep watch," he said.

"You're the best, Goemon," I said and walked back to the apartment.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Gold Demona)

I sat there on the counter, hearing Silverbolt and the Inspector talking to each other about something. I stopped listening a good while back, so I had no idea what they were talking about at this point. I soon got tired of sitting there doing nothing, so I hopped down from the counter and started for the door. I was stopped when Boober popped up from around the corner.

"Oh, hi Boober," I greeted.

"Hi," he greeted back. "Inspector, your clothes are done."

"Wow, that was quick," the Inspector said as he got up from his chair and took the clothes from Boober. "Thanks."

"Your welcome," he said. "And where are you off to, Gold?"

"Out," I said.

"Well, if you're looking for Jigen, he's leaving tonight," he said, "So if you want to see him, now's the time."

"Tonight?!" I repeated.

"Did you hear me stutter?" Boober said. "Yes, he's leaving tonight."

I shoved past him and quickly walked around the corner. I found Markl and Krypto standing in the middle of the hallway.

"He's leaving tonight," he said.

"I know," I said. "Where is he?"

"On the roof," he answered.

"Thanks," I said and rushed past him and into the living room.

I had to stop when I bumped into Lupin.

"Hey, where's the fire?" he asked.

"I need to see Jigen," I said.

"He's on the roof smoking his last cigarette before the trip," he said.

"Thanks," I said and started walking around him.

"Hang on," he said and held his talon up to stop me.

"Look, I have to tell him something before he goes," I said, looking up at him.

He lifted a brow ridge when I said that. Then he smiled at me.

"I've known Jigen for a long time," he said, "And I've seen him fall in love before. It always ended in betrayal. That's why he doesn't trust women."

"Betrayal?"

"The last time it happened was in Barcelona," he said, "A Spanish dancer caught his eye and lured him with her Spanish charm. Turned out she was part of a plot that set us both up to kill each other. If we didn't wise up to the plan at the last minute, it would've worked, and we both would've shot each other dead."

"Why are you telling me all this?" I asked.

"So you know what it is you're dealing with," he answered. "Good girls like you wind up getting hurt if you're not careful."

"I've been careful," I said, "I just think this is one of those 'now or never' things. If I don't tell him now, I might never get to again."

"Then you better tell him quick," he said, "He's been burning through those cigarettes like nobody's business tonight, and that last one won't last him very long."

"Right," I said and turned on my cloaker.

I ran past him and out to the hall. I ran down to the stairs and found Goemon standing by the door.

"He's still up there, right?" I asked as I arrived there.

He nodded, not bothering to look up at me.

"Thanks," I said as I ran through the door, up the stairs and through the next door.

I saw Jigen as he tossed away the cigarette he'd just finished and turned around towards the door.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Jigen)

I'd just thrown away my last cigarette butt. I turned around to find Gold just outside the door walking towards me.

"What's she doing out here?" I thought.

"Hey," she greeted.

"Hey," I greeted back.

"So," she said with a pause, "I guess that means you're not staying."

"I never said I was," I replied and started walking to the door.

"I know," she said and paused again, "But then again, you never said you weren't, either."

"Not much point in me staying," I said, "I got three votes against me and a bruised leg, to go with the crushed stomach from last night and the dislocated jaw from the night before."

"Well, not all the votes are against you," she said as I walked past her.

"Yes they are," I replied, walking away from her and towards the door. "Name one vote that's for me staying."

For several seconds, there wasn't an answer. I just kept walking.

"I didn't think so," I said.

I suddenly found myself unable to move forward as a pair of pale yellow arms came up around me from behind.

"What the hell?" I thought.

"Don't go," she said with her face in the back of my jacket.

"Aw hell," I thought.

"What are you doing, Gold?" I asked.

"Please," she sobbed, "I love you."

"Aw man," I thought.

I just stood there for a moment, trying to think of something to say. My mind just went completely blank.

"I'm sorry," I said and pulled myself free.

I walked to the door and went down the stairs. I looked back, but didn't see her behind me.

"Must still be outside," I thought and continued downward. "Damn it all."

I walked through the other door, noticing Goemon standing just outside of it.

"Let's go," I said as I walked past him.

"Don't go doing something you'll regret, Jigen," he said.

"What are you talking about, Goemon?" I asked.

"You know very well what I'm talking about," he said. "Breaking hearts is Lupin's territory."

"Nothing I can do about it," I said, "Can't change how she feels."

"But what about you?" he said, "How do you feel about this?"

"Look, let's just go," I said. "We've wasted enough time here."

"Suit yourself," he said and followed me back to the apartment.

We found Lupin and Fujiko waiting for us in the living room, already cloaked.

"We ready to go?" he asked as we walked in.

"Yeah," I answered.

"Good," he said, "Cuz the car's waiting for us downstairs."

"Wait a minute, the car?" I chuckled. "You somehow managed to get your frickin' car all the way out here?"

"Jigen, you should know by now that for a Lupin," he replied as he pulled a small remote control out of his jacket pocket. He pressed a button on it, and I heard a honking coming from outside. "All things are possible."

"No arguing that," I said with a grin.

"Let's just go already," Fujiko demanded in an impatient tone and started pushing Lupin towards the door.

"You heard the lady," Lupin said, grinning as he let Fujiko push him out the door.

I chuckled and followed them out. We walked down the hall and into the elevator. We walked out of the building over to a Gold 1930s Mercedes Benz.

"Finally a familiar sight," I said and watched Lupin hop into the driver's seat.

"You can look at it when we're out of this hell hole," Lupin said as he started the engine. "We got a long drive ahead of us, so we better get going."

I nodded as we all hopped in and drove away.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Half an hour later…)

(Gold Demona)

I sat there on the roof, frozen on my knees. Unable to move because I knew as soon as he was through the door that I was never going to see him again.

I lost track of how long I'd been up there. I only knew that it was less than five hours because my cloaker was still working. I saw the door open again, and then Vaala walked through it.

"Hey," she said softly as she walked up. "You okay?"

"He's gone, isn't he?" I asked.

"Yeah," she answered and knelt down beside me, "They all left ten minutes ago without saying a word."

"Why did it have to be him?" I asked, "I knew he was leaving, and I fell for him anyway. Silverbolt's a handsome male. Why couldn't it have been him?"

"Because Silverbolt's old enough to be your grandfather," she answered.

"That's beside the point," I said and then sighed.

"Come inside," she said, putting her hand on my shoulder. "Mac offered us some shots of her scotch."

I chuckled and looked up at her.

"Okay," I said as we both got up and went back inside.


	9. Chapter 8: Ways of Love

Gold Demona

**Chapter VIII**

Ways of Love

(Gold Demona)

(Two weeks later…) (September, 2110 A.D.)

I was sitting on the couch-bed, propping my back up with a pillow, watching the news with Vaala and Inspector Zenigata. Vaala sat to the right of me, also lying on a pillow. The Inspector was lying down with his head propped up by a pillow. His hat and trench coat hung behind him on the back of the couch.

"What exactly are you looking for in these news stories?" I asked out of curiosity.

"A lead," answered the Inspector, "Some kind of information I can work with."

"You've been at this for the last two weeks," Vaala said. "Wouldn't this be enough to help you find the evidence you're looking for?"

"Almost all the stuff they put on TV is crap," he said, "But every once in a while there's a story with valid information in it. It's rare and hard to catch, but it's there. What I'm trying to do is weed out the crap from the facts. Since I can't perform a real investigation without getting killed, this is the best I've got to work with."

"Well, Mac's got all kinds of equipment in her lab that can help you," I pointed out.

"Yeah, but she's the only one that can read 'em," he said, "And then she starts goin' off in that funny accent of hers, and I can't make heads 'er tails outta anything she says."

"Maybe you're just not listening hard enough," Vaala said, "Cuz we can understand her just fine."

"Or it could just be that she's drunk," he said.

"Drunk?" I said. "Mac doesn't drink."

"How do you know?" he asked, "You watch her every hour of the night?"

"No," I said.

"Well, she does have a cabinet full of nothing but scotch," Vaala said, "It would make sense that she'd drink the drinks in her cabinet."

"Yeah, but she's always sending it to Bender," I pointed out.

"One bottle at a time," she said.

"And yet the cabinet is always full," said the Inspector.

"But if she does drink her own scotch, wouldn't we see the difference in her behavior?" I asked, "Or in how bad her accent is?"

"Maybe she's always drunk," Vaala said.

"I think we'd be able to SMELL that, wouldn't we?" I asked. "In all the time she's been here, I've never smelled scotch on her. Or even in the lab. I would think that we'd smell it if she really drank that much."

"Good point," Vaala said.

"A clan of gargoyles was found in the city of Arkhipo-Osipovka this morning," said the anchorman in the TV.

"What?" we all said as our conversation came to a screeching halt.

"The clan was found perched on the tallest rooftop in the city and were quickly exterminated late this afternoon by the hardworking men and women of our Hunter force. In other news--"

"Ark hippo what?" said the Inspector. "They still use Russian names around here?"

"The old Russian cities were never changed," I explained, "They just built a lot of new American ones around them. This country has so much empty space, The U.S. was able to make all new cities without doing anything to the cities of Old Russia. So the people that were previously Russian were able to stay in their hometowns without having to change much in their lifestyle."

"Seems weird for a clan to live in one of the Old Russian cities," Vaala pointed out. "Think this could be some of that 'crap' we were just talking about?"

"Whether it is or not," I said as I got up off the couch, "I think we should tell Mac about it."

"Right," Vaala agreed and got up after me. "Bed's all yours, Inspector."

"Thanks," he said and scooted to the middle.

We opened the penthouse door and went inside, shutting it behind us so the Inspector could keep watching TV.

As we arrived at the lab door, it opened up. Silverbolt walked out and rushed past us.

"Where are you going?" I asked.

"Osipovka," he said. "There was a clan there, and Mac found two survivors."

"You're not planning to go alone, are you?" Vaala asked.

"I've no time to ask for volunteers," he said and disappeared around the corner to the living room.

"Was it just me," Vaala said, "Or did that seem majorly uncharacteristic of him?"

"You're right, he's usually not so hasty," I agreed. "Maybe he knew the clan there."

"Well, it's too late to join him," Vaala said. "He's probably halfway down the elevator by now."

"Then we'll just have to watch him from here," I said as I stepped into the lab.

"Hey Mac," Vaala greeted as we walked in.

"Vaahla, Goold," she greeted back, "Ah tehk eht ya heard ohf tha mahssacar thes ahftarnoon'."

"Yeah, we were just coming down to tell you about that," I said. "But I guess you knew before we did."

"Silverbolt made that kind of obvious by bolting out of here," Vaala said.

"Aye, heh lift jost ahs Ah fenneshed sayin tha nehm of tha plehs. Strenj ohf hem ta lev ehn soch a harreh."

"We thought so, too," Vaala said.

"Ohsepohvka ehs not fahr frohm here," Mac said, "Ehf heh finds 'em queckleh, heh shouldnae beh lohng."

We gathered around the computer and watched the blip on the screen we knew to be Silverbolt as he ran down the block to the bus stop.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Half an hour later…)

(Silverbolt)

"I hope it is not them," I prayed as I ran down the street to the tallest building in the city.

I cursed the slow pace of the elevator as my mind raced in circles.

"How could I have forgotten?" I asked myself in thought. "Has my own grief made me blind?"

I finally reached the top floor and raced down the hallways, frantically searching for a way to the roof. I looked up and found an attic door. I reached up and opened it, pulling down a ladder that lead to a room above. I went up and quickly pulled the ladder and door back up beneath me so no one would see that anyone had gone up. I looked up and found a door. I opened it, and thankfully it went outside to the roof.

"Finally," I thought.

I looked around over the piles of stone and began walking through them. I had made myself numb to such scenes. It was still a sad thing to see, but my heartache had long since withdrawn. I often wondered if this was a sign of insanity. I stopped walking when I heard a voice crying from somewhere. It was faint, but it was most definitely the sound of someone crying. A higher-pitched male voice up ahead. I kept moving.

"_Mon Dieu!_" the voice sobbed as I got closer.

"Oh no," I thought as I recognized the voice.

"_Aidez-moi!_" He cried, "_Aidez-la! Quelqu'un, s'il vous plait l'aident!_"

He had his back to me, so he didn't see me as I walked over to him. He was knelt on the floor, holding something in his arms, though I could not see what. I turned off my cloak so I would not startle him when he did see me.

"Antoine?" I called as I approached.

"Seelvairbohlt?!" he replied when he heard me and turned around.

He was a young male, barely over forty, of golden fur and feathered wings to match. Antoine D'Coolette, a soldier of the French Royal Guard, with a daylight badge of the Royal Guard blazoned on his military coat. He had a canine-like face, more so than my own. His whiskers were combed to resemble a moustache. His short blonde hair was split down the middle and flowed flawlessly to either side. His large blue eyes were filled with suffering.

"Antoine, what happened here?!"

"Seelvairbohlt!" he cried, "Eet was _terrible_! Zhey came een zhe late aftairnoon! I was not here! I was out on zhe patrol, and when I retairned, zhey wair all broken! _Ma pauvre _Bunnie! I sought she was dead! But no, she woke een hair broken state and look! Look at what has happened to hair!"

I then got a better look at what he held in his arms. A young female of golden brown skin and golden blonde hair, unconscious in his arms. Her horns wide and curved back like the ears of a rabbit. I noticed quickly that she was missing her wings, her left arm, and everything below her waistline. What Antoine held in his arms was barely half a gargoyle. Amazingly, she was still breathing.

"How is she alive?!" I wondered out loud.

"I do not know, _mon ami_!" he cried, "But I do know zhat she cannot sairvive like zhis! I am zhe great failure! I could not protect _ma plus chère _Bunnie from zhis deezastair!"

She gasped in pain and clutched to Antoine's coat.

"A-A-Antoine," she whispered.

"Bunnie!" He cried, "_Je suis ici, m'amour!_ I am here!"

"Ah... Ah can't feel m'legs, Antoine," she cried, whispering in a Southern United States accent, "Ah'm scared."

"Do not worry, _Ma cherie_," he said, kissing her on her forehead as her consciousness slipped again. "I weel protect you wees all of my being."

"We haven't much time, Antoine," I said as I pulled two cloakers from my pocket. "Put these on. One on you, and one on her. And follow my lead."

"Eh watch?" He said as I handed them to him. "What ees zhis watch?"

I lifted my wrist up to show him as I turned my cloak on.

"_Magnifique,_" he said and did as I told him. He turned both cloaks on, so it appeared that he held a whole human girl unconscious in his arms.

"We must hurry," I said and ran over to one of the edges of the roof that went into an alley, watching for any nearby humans.

"There is no one here," I said. "Follow me."

I jumped down to the alley below, using my wings to slow my descent. Antoine was not far behind. We landed deep in the alleyway, far from the sight of any humans.

"Whair are we going, Seelvairbohlt?" Antoine asked.

"Somewhere safe," I answered, "Where she can get help."

"I hope," I thought.

We ran out of the alleyway and rushed to the bus stop.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Half an hour later…)

(Markl)

Krypto and I had just finished breakfast and were walking out of the dining room. When I got around the corner, I saw Silverbolt run in from the apartment, followed by another dog-looking gargoyle carrying part of a pretty lady.

"Silverbolt, what's going on?" I asked as he they all ran to the lab.

"Later, Markl," he answered and ran inside. "Mac! We need your help!"

Krypto and I followed him inside. I wanted to know what was going on. I saw Mac, Gold, and Vaala whip around from the computer as soon as he said that.

"Selvar!" Mac yelled back from her chair, "Whot ehn blue blehzes ehs gooin' ohn?!"

"Antoine, put her on the gurney," Silverbolt said to the guy, who did as he said. "She was shattered with the rest of the clan but somehow survived."

Mac rolled her chair over so she could see the lady in the bed.

"Her bottom half is missing!" Gold pointed out.

"How the hell do you survive that in your sleep?!" Vaala said.

"I have no idea," Silverbolt said and ten looked to Mac, "Tell me there is something you can do for her."

"Ah cahn replehs ohll tha messin lehms. Noo prohblem thir," she answered, "Ah have roobotec appindages thaht'll wark fine. Howivar thaht woon't fex the prohblem ohf the messin oorgans ehn har loowar hahlf."

"B-b-but," said the guy Silverbolt called Antoine, "Zhere most be somezhing you can do!"

"Ah cannot dehfy tha lows ohf nehchar," she said, "Ah cahn do mehneh thengs, boht mehkin oorgans oot ohf nothin' or ehven mehkin eht posseble far a parsen ta live wethoot them ehs beyohnd mah rilm ohf science. Thes ehs steppin enta supar science, and far thaht Ah nehd a soorcarer."

"Well, what about me?" I said. They all turned and looked at me.

"Whot aboot ye, lad?" Mac said.

"I'm an apprentice wizard," I said, "Maybe I can help."

"This isn't just spells and charms, Markl," Silverbolt said, "Super science requires the use of high-level sorcery."

"You don't think I know that?" I said. "I've seen my Master Howl do it. It doesn't look that hard."

"Seein' ahnd doin' are two defferent thengs, lad," Mac said. "Ehf ye doon't do eht right, sheh'll die."

"Yeah, but she'll die anyway if we don't try something, right?" I replied.

"_Oui oui_, he eez right," Antoine said, looking to Silverbolt, "I am weeling to try anyzhing eef eet means a chance for hair to live."

"Are ye sure ye want ta do thes, lad?" Mac asked me.

"I've never been more sure of anything," I said. "I can't just sit around when there's a chance that my magic can help."

She smiled and nodded at me.

"Alright, than," Mac said, "Everehone ilse git oot ohf tha lab."

Gold, Vaala, and Silverbolt all turned and started walking to the door. Antoine stayed with the lady.

"Thaht means you too, lad," Mac said to Antoine, "Weh ned spess."

"I cannot leave hair," he said, holding her only talon, "Not again."

"Come, Antoine," Silverbolt said as he came back and put his talons on Antoine's shoulders. "They need to concentrate."

Antoine kissed her talon and let it go.

"I promees, I weel retairn, _m'amour_," he said and followed Silverbolt out.

When they were all gone, I looked at the lady on the bed. I could tell she was in a lot of pain.

Mac got up from her chair and rushed over to one of her bigger cabinets. She pulled out a bunch of robot parts that looked like parts of gargoyles.

"What'd you have all that for?" I asked out of curiosity.

"Wos plahnnin ohn mehkin a gargoyle roobut," she answered as she put all the parts on the table, "Baht Ah nivvar goht aroond to eht."

She pulled out some tools and put what looked like a lower torso on the bed under the lady. She sat back down on her chair and picked up one of her tools.

"I hope this works," I said.

"So do I, lad," she said as she started her part of the work, "So do I."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Gold Demona)

"Oh, _m'amour_," said the male called Antoine, who was on the verge of crying.

We'd gone to the dining room and sat at the table. Silverbolt and Antoine sat on one side, and Vaala and I sat on the other. Antoine was hunched down with his head in his talons and his wings drooped way down.

"I'm here for you, Antoine," Silver said to him, rubbing his shoulder.

"_Merci_, Seelvair," Antoine replied, "But weezhout _ma chère _Bunnie, I weel no longair be having zhe weel for my own life to be continuing."

"Do not say such things," Silver said. "Mac is a genius in every sense of the word. And Markl is very bright for a boy his age. I'm sure they will find a way."

"I sairtainly hope so," Antoine replied, "She eez my everyzhing, Seelvair. I could not hope to sairvive weezhout hair. I would seemply die from zhe aching een my heart. Eet eez not enough that I have failed to save hair clan from zhis _terrible _fate. But even eef she sairvives zhees, more zhan half of hair beauteeful body is gone. She weel be doomed to live zhe rest of hair life wees only half a body, and eet eez all my fault."

"No, Antoine," Silverbolt said, "If anyone is to blame, it's the Hunters. If you had been there you would have surely been killed, and Bunnie would have awakened only to die alone."

"But of course," Antoine sniffed, "What you say eez true, _mon ami_. I must be staying strong. Zhat eez what she would want."

"That's the spirit, Antoine," Silver said, patting Antoine's shoulder. "We must not lose faith."

"No, of course not," Antoine replied.

I got up off my chair and started for the door.

"Where you going, Gold?" Vaala asked.

"The roof," I said as I walked out to the hall.

I could hear Vaala getting up off her chair and following me out.

"Hang on, Gold," she said as I was passing the door to Mac's lab.

"What?" I replied.

"Is something bothering you?" she asked.

"Nothing's bothering me," I answered, "Why?"

"It just seemed weird that you'd just walk out like that."

"I wasn't being any help in there," I said, "Silverbolt seems to have everything under control."

"Yeah, but don't you care?" she said and then pointed to the lab door, "This French guy's girlfriend is on the brink of death in there."

"I know," I said. "Of course I care. It's obvious that Silverbolt knows these people, and one of them might die tonight. I don't want to be in here if that's what ends up happening."

"So you're gonna stay on the roof the whole night?" she asked.

"If I have to, yes," I said and continued down the hall and up to the apartment. "Let me know when it's over."

I walked through the living room, ignoring the Inspector as he watched me pass. I turned on my cloaker and walked out of the apartment, down the hall, up the stairs, and out to the roof. I found Boober there hanging some laundry on the line.

"Hey Boober," I greeted.

"Hey Gold," he greeted back. "Out for some air?"

"Yeah," I answered and walked over to him. "Do you know what's going on downstairs?"

"No, what?" he asked without pausing from his laundry.

"A clan was slaughtered in one of the Old Russian cities nearby," I said, "Silverbolt went and got two survivors from there."

"That's good," he said.

"Yeah," I said, "But what's not good is that one of the survivors was also one of the smashed."

"What?" he replied and stopped what he was doing to look back at me. "What do you mean by that?"

"I mean exactly what I said. She was smashed with the rest of them but was somehow able to wake up after that. And now she's in the lab fighting for her life with only half a body."

"That's terrible!" he said, "I hope Mac can work one of her miracles and save her."

"Yeah, me too," I said, "She has Markl helping with his magic, so there might actually be a chance."

"And the other survivor's still whole, right?"

"Yeah, but I think he's suffering as much as she is," I said.

"Lovers, huh?" he replied.

"Yeah, young ones, too," I said. "The guy looks like he's barely in his forties."

"That's way too young to lose a lover like that," he said and continued hanging his laundry.

"Yeah, I know," I replied. "Has anyone ever told you that you're really easy to talk to?"

"Only when I'm relaxed," he said, "There are few activities in this world that relax me. Laundry is one of them, but only if I'm left undisturbed."

"What else relaxes you?" I asked.

"Things you wouldn't find very interesting," he said.

"I dunno, try me," I said.

"No, I'm serious. You'd be bored to tears," he said, "In fact, I think that's why Red never took a fancy to me."

"You like Red?"

"No, I don't like her," he said as he hung the last bit of laundry on the line.

He picked up the basket and laid it aside. He put his left talon in his pants pocket and looked at me.

"I love her," he said, raising his right talon to his chest. "That is really the only reason I came here. If I didn't, I would've left with Gobo and the others without any hesitation."

"Have you ever told her how you feel?" I asked.

"No," he said and put his right talon in his pocket, "But I'm pretty sure she knows it, though. We've known each other since the day she was hatched. I was only twelve then, so I barely remember it."

"Comparable to a human six-year-old," I replied.

"Exactly," he said, "And now here I am in my sixties, and I've never gone out with a girl before."

He let out a long sigh.

"That's pathetic," I said.

"Yes," he agreed. "I suppose so. But I guess that's just one of the hazards of living a nice and boring life."

"Hmm," I replied and looked over to the sea.

"It seems nobody has a happy love life," I thought as a cool breeze gushed by.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Mac)

In all of my one hundred and three years, never had I been given such a tensing task. I had saved countless lives during my years as a practicing doctor, though at this point it had been many years since the last time I had to treat any kind of emergency.

The strap of my glasses was drenched with the sweat on my brow. My right wing twitched, keeping in time with every passing second. My mouth was saturated with the aftertaste of my scotch. I picked up my glass from the table behind me and took another drink. It was only my fifth glass of scotch, so the affects hadn't kicked in yet.

I looked over to Markl, who was busy focusing his magic into the lifeless lass that lay before us. For the moment, he was merely focusing on making sure she stayed alive, his small lavender talons glowing a pale green color. He was sweating almost as much as I was. I looked back down to the tangle of wires and nerve endings and kept working, connecting everything together.

My nerves grew wearier with every connection I made, for I knew what was to come. I never had the chance to practice in super science because I never had a sorcerer to assist me, but I had studied it enough to know the workings and procedures. I knew that after I was done with the connections in her torso, the lad would have to put all of his will into her very being. I had little doubts that he would have the focus, but at his young age I worried that such a task would tear his small body apart. He was already straining just keeping the lass alive.

"Alright, lad," I said as I finished making all of the necessary connections and rolled my chair back. "Now."

Without saying a word he moved up so his talons were on either end of her body. The glow of his talons then changed from pale green to a bright white. His cape began to levitate as the strain on his face became more defined and flowed as if in a slow wind. Then a ring of white light formed on the floor around him. Beams of light then began flowing upwards, sending his cape up with them. After a second, I saw what looked like balls of light flowing down his arms and into the young lass in front of him. With every second, the balls of light grew in number until his arms and the lass's body were completely enveloped by them. Then an explosion of magic sent me a couple meters backwards in my chair.

When I looked again, I found that the light was completely gone. Markl stood still with his talons above the lass, the strained look on his face completely gone.

"Markl?" I said to him.

He fell to his knees and collapsed on the floor. Krypto immediately ran over to his side and nudged at him. I leapt from my chair and knelt down to where he fell.

"Markl, speak to me, lad," I urged as I picked up his head and shook it a bit.

I checked his small wrist for a pulse. He still had one, but it was faint.

"Come on, lad," I said as I lifted his small body from the floor. "Don't do this."

I cleared some space on my table and set him down on it. I set my talon on his small chest, feeling for the rise and fall of his breathing. I felt none. I pressed my ear down to his chest, but only heard the faint beating of his heart.

"No," I said and began performing CPR, "No, lad. Breathe."

One round. Two rounds. No response. Krypto let out a long whine as he watched.

"Dammit all ta hell, lad!" I demanded as I started another round, "You'll not die on me now! Breathe!"

Just as I was finishing a fourth round, he took in a slow weak breath. Krypto's tail began to wag with a force that could knock a grown human man onto his backside and he began to bark.

"Oh, thank goodness," I sighed as I fell back into my chair and took another drink of scotch.

I rolled my chair up to where Markl was and watched to make sure he was still breathing. His breaths were slow but steady. A good sign. It assured me that he would live.

"Agh, what a night," I said.

I looked down at Krypto, who stood on his hind legs with his front paws on the table so he could reach his beastie muzzle to Markl's face.

"I'm guessing you were just as nervous as I was," I said to him, "If not more so."

He only panted and licked Markl's face. I looked back at the lass on the gurney, turning my chair around so I could better examine her. I checked her wrist for a pulse, and found it beating strong, and her breathing was clear and steady.

"He did it," I thought and then smiled back at Markl. "The lad actually did it."

I turned again to the lass and looked down at her lower torso. I noticed that the two parts, the organic and the mechanical, seemed to smoothly blend together as I noticed bits of metal had formed throughout her midsection and some of the metal in the lower section had taken the color of her skin.

"Interesting," I thought.

I crossed my arms and admired our handiwork.

"When I built these pieces," I thought and looked back to the rest of the robotic parts on the table, "I never imagined that I would end up using them to save a life."

I reached back and picked up the arm I had laid there.

"And now that we are certain that she will live," I said to myself, "We can move on to the easy part."

I then picked up my glass of scotch and quickly discovered that it was empty.

"Hmm," I said with a frown and put it back down.

I picked up the bottle that stood beside it and poured some more into the glass.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Vaala)

"This is taking too long," I thought to myself as the three of us waited impatiently for the night to be over.

The entire time since Gold left for the roof, there'd been a long and unsettling silence, except for Antoine constantly rambling in French. I found myself using a lot of this time thinking.

"Gold's been acting really weird lately," I thought. "She spends more time on the roof than anyone else. She keeps saying she's alright, but she doesn't act like it. She can't still be moping over Jigen, can she?"

I looked over to Silverbolt and Antoine. Silverbolt sat with his elbows on the table and his hands up to his face, claws intercrossed. He seemed to be staring off into space with a stern expression on his face. Antoine had his hands together and his forehead resting on them as he whispered to himself in French.

I heard a door open and then footsteps coming our way. I turned around in time to see Mac walk in with a big, but tired smile on her face, which was drenched in sweat.

"You did it," I said.

Silver and Antoine both looked up from their respective dazes when I said that.

"Deed what?!" Antoine asked.

Mac nodded.

"Aye," she said, "Tha night ehs finally oovar. And tha lass well lev ta see anothar."

"Oh thank God," Silverbolt sighed.

"Oh _mon Dieu!_" Antoine said as he got up off his chair and walked up to Mac, "You are telling me zhat _ma cherie, ma vie, ma raison d'être, ma petite _Bunnie, she weel sairvive? I weel be able to keess hair beautiful face again and walk wees hair een zhe moonlight?"

Mac's smile got bigger and she nodded again.

"She well lev, lad," she said, "Thas whot Ah sid."

Antoine then broke into a fit of crying and giggling. He looked back at me and Silver, and then back to Mac. He grabbed Mac's head with both talons and started kissing her on both cheeks.

"_C'est un miracle!_" He cried to Mac, "_Mon Dieu! _I do not know how to be zhanking you! Zhees ees zhe miracle! _Ma_ Bunnie, she weel live!"

Then he suddenly embraced Mac in his arms, nearly knocking her over.

"_Merci!" _he cried,_ "Merci beaucoup!"_

"Easeh lad," she laughed, "Ah'm noht as yong as Ah look, ahnd ahfter whot hahppened tanight, Ah'm woorn oot."

"Oh, _pardonnez-moi_," he said as he let go and stepped back. "I am so full of 'appiness, I could bairst. I am, how you say, ovairjoyed."

"Where is Markl?" Silverbolt asked.

"Heh's aslip ehn the lahb," she answered, "Poor lahd nirleh kelled hemsilf usin' so moch mahgic. Boht heh mahnaged ta pull through. A good deh's rist well fex hem right ohp."

"Well that's good," I said.

"Ah suppose ye'll wont ta seh yer bonnie lass now," Mac said to Antoine.

"Oh more zhan anyzhing," he said.

"Folloow meh then," she said as she turned around and disappeared around the corner.

Antoine followed, leaving Silverbolt and me alone.

"He looks so happy," I said after they were gone.

"Yes," Silver agreed. "He and Bunnie have been together for four years now. It makes me glad to see this turn out so well."

"And Mac looked dead tired," I pointed out. "It must've been one hell of a strain."

"When someone's life hangs by a thread and it is up to you whether or not she dies," he said, "It tends to put a great deal of strain on you, emotionally and physically."

"Well I'm glad everything turned out right," I said and then looked over to Silver, "I've been meaning to ask you something, but it didn't seem right to ask before."

"What is it?" he replied.

"Are you and Antoine related or something?" I asked. "Cuz you both have fur and dog faces, and you both have bird wings."

"Yes, we are related," he said, "His father is my cousin. Antoine has always wanted to follow in his father's footsteps and become a general in the French Royal Guard. Right now he is just a lower-rank soldier, but high enough that he received a Royal Guard badge."

"So like our friend, the Inspector, he stays awake during the day."

"Precisely," he said, "And that is exactly what saved his life today. He was away on patrol when the Hunters attacked."

"So how did a soldier of the French Royal Guard end up here in New Liberty?"

"He was visiting me and my clan when the border locked down," he said, "Not long after, he left to find a way out of the country. Needless to say his search ended after he stopped in Arkhipo-Osipovka. He met Bunnie and they fell in love almost instantly. Her clan took him in as one of their own. They came from the state of Georgia."

"An American clan, huh?" I replied.

"Yes," he answered with a nod. "With the Southern accent to prove it."

"Heh," I replied and started for the door, "Well, I'm gonna go tell Gold the good news."

"Of course," he said as I walked around the corner.

As I walked past the lab I saw Boober walking in from the apartment carrying an empty laundry basket.

"She still on the roof?" I asked.

"Yes," he answered, "She is. She told me what happened. Is everything alright?"

"It is now," I answered.

"So Mac was able to work one of her miracles."

"Yeah," I said. "Thanks to her and Markl, one more gargoyle gets to live."

"That's wonderful," he said.

"Yeah," I replied as I walked past him to the apartment, "Catch you later, Boober."

"Okay," he replied.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

When I finally got to the roof, I saw Gold sitting on the edge of the roof, looking over to the sea. I walked over and sat next to her.

"Hey," I said.

"Hey," she greeted back. "So what happened?"

"They did it," I said, "They saved her."

She smiled when I said that.

"That's good," she said. "At least somebody gets a happy ending."

"So what've you been thinking about out here?" I asked.

"Things," she said, "Things that are, things that were, things that should be, things that wouldn't. Just things."

"He's not coming back, you know," I said, knowing what she was thinking about. "You should get over him and move on. Boober obviously has."

"Boober's used to him being gone," Gold said, "It's not that easy for me. Especially with all that's going on tonight."

"You're jealous of them," I said. "Of what Antoine and Bunnie have together."

"I guess I am," she said.

"It's been two weeks, Gold," I pointed out, "And you only knew him for a few nights. Your feelings for him can't be THAT strong."

"But they are," she said, "It's not like I want them to be. I wish I could make it just go away."

"I don't think it's going to just go away," I said, "But mulling it around in your head isn't gonna help, either. The more you think about it, the worse it's gonna get."

"Well what do you suggest?" she asked.

"Go somewhere," I suggested, "Do something. Anything. Something to get your mind off things. And no, going to work every day doesn't count as going out. One of these nights, turn on your cloaker and instead of coming to the roof, go out somewhere and do something. Hey, how much time do you have left on your cloaker?"

"About three and a half hours," she said, "Why?"

"Awesome!" I said and stood back up. "Let's go out. You and me."

"Out where?" she asked, brow raised.

"Anywhere," I said, holding my hand out to her. "Anywhere but here."

She stared at my hand a moment but then took it so I could help her back up.

"You've been cooped up here for the last two weeks," I said. "Let's go have some fun."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Markl)

I was in a beautiful place of white light. There were white clouds with golden linings everywhere.

"Am I dead?" I asked, looking around at my surroundings.

"No, Markl," chuckled a soft deep voice from ahead of me. A voice I'd heard before. "You're not dead."

I gasped and ran forward through the clouds to where the voice was coming from.

"It can't be," I said, recognizing the voice.

I got to a clearing and found a midnight blue gargoyle with long black hair and wings like a Raven.

"Master Howl!" I called as I stopped in front of him. "It's you!"

"Yes Markl, it's me," he said, smiling down at me.

"Am I dreaming?" I asked.

"In a matter of speaking," he said, "You overexerted yourself, and now you stand on the border between life and death."

"But you just said I'm not dead," I said. "I don't understand."

"It's not your time yet, Markl," he said, "So even though you made it this far, you will not be allowed beyond. I came here to meet you so I could tell you how proud I am of you."

"Of me?" I said.

"Yes, Markl. What you did tonight was very admirable," he said, "Even knowing your apprentice status and how dangerous it was, you took on a task that even practicing wizards dare not take."

"I couldn't just let her die," I said, "I had to help her."

"And you gave it everything you had," he said, "It makes me proud to see my young apprentice making such honorable use of what I've managed to teach him. I only regret that I wasn't able to teach you more."

"Master Howl," I sobbed and then ran over and hugged him. "I miss you! And Sophie!"

"We miss you too, Markl," he said as he hugged me back and rubbed my head, "But I'm afraid I have to go back. And you have to go back to your life."

"No!" I cried, "I wanna stay with you and Sophie! I don't wanna go back!"

"It's not time yet for you to come back with me, Markl," he said as a golden glow appeared around him. "You have a long and honorable life ahead of you. You will grow up and master your magic and become even more powerful than me."

I looked up at him, and he smiled down on me.

"And besides," he said, "If you don't go back, who will take care of Krypto?"

I sniffed and he brought his talon to my face, wiping my tears away.

"Krypto," I said, remembering that I'd promised to take care of him.

"Don't worry," he said, "Sophie and I will always be watching over you. And I've met your biological parents, Markl. They are wonderful people, and they watch over you too. Now how many kids do you know that have two sets of parents watching over them from Heaven? And a dog beast on Earth as brave and loyal as Krypto?"

I sniffed and smiled up at him.

"I love you, Master Howl."

"I love you too, Markl," he said as he started floating back away from me. "And so do Sophie and your parents. And Krypto as well. Take good care of him for me."

"I will," I said as he disappeared into the clouds ahead. "I promise."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Mac)

"Master, wait!" Markl yelled as he sprang back to consciousness.

"Lad, you're awake!" I replied as I sprang up from my chair to the table where he sat.

Krypto hopped up and down as he barked and wagged his tail.

"Ugh...Mac?" he moaned and put a talon to his head.

"Aye, lad," I replied. "I'm here. How do you feel?"

"My head hurts," he said.

"That is to be expected," I explained, "You overloaded on your magic and nearly died. I can't begin to tell you how worried I was."

"You were worried about me?" he asked.

"Of course, lad," I said and gave him a stern look, "I could never forgive myself if you died tonight. I could've attempted this operation on my own and you would be safe."

He did not respond to that. Instead he lifted his other talon to his head. I reached over to a small pill bottle at the side of the table, opened it, and handed him a pill from it.

"Here, lad," I said as he took the pill from me. I got up and walked over to the sink and filled a glass of water. I sat back down on my chair and handed it to him.

He popped the pill into his mouth and took a long drink of the water. He didn't stop until the glass was empty.

"What happened to the lady?" he asked.

I smiled at him and turned aside.

"See for yourself, lad," I said and showed him the gurney with the lass happily sleeping on it, and the young French lad knelt beside her. He now held her robotic talon in his talons and stroke it so tenderly as if it were flesh.

"It worked," he asked. "I did it."

I nodded.

"Aye, lad," I said, "That you did. Thanks to you, this lass will live."

"Thanks to me?" he repeated. "But what about you? It's your mechanical parts that make her body whole again."

"Aye, but without your magic, my mechanical know-how would've been completely useless."

He looked over to the couple.

"Your name is Antoine, right?" he asked.

"_Oui, mon ami,_" he answered and turned to Markl, "Antoine D'Coolette. And eef I haird Mac correctly, I believe I have you to zhank for zhees miracle."

"Miracle?" he said.

"To be pairfectly honest, _mon ami,_" Antoine said, "I had leetle to no hope zhat she would make eet. I prayed for a miracle zhat would allow _ma chère_ Bunnie to live."

"Ugh..." groaned the lass from behind us. "Antoine?"

"Bunnie!" he replied with the excitement of a lad at Christmastime as he rushed back and picked up her robotic talon. "Ah _ma cherie_, at last you are awake!"

"What the heck happened?" she asked as she sat herself up. "Last thing Ah remembah was the sun goin' up. How'd Ah end up here?"

"Eet ees a long and _terrible _story," he answered and kissed the robotic talon he held. "Bunnie, but one zhat ends weez zhe two of us togezhair again."

Her eyes grew wide as she began staring at the talon he had just finished kissing. She pulled it back and turned it, examined it.

"Oh mah stars," she gasped. "No..."

She looked the length of the arm and then looked at her lower half, quickly noticing the robotics that were now part of her body. All the while tears were forming in her eyes.

"What the heck happened?" she sobbed, "Where's mah clan?!"

Antoine rose from his knees and sat down on the gurney next to her. He wrapped his arms and wings around her and began to cry.

"_Ma cherie,_" he sobbed, "I am so sorry! I could not stop zhem! I was not zhere to protect you! Oh _m'amour_, I almost lost you!"

"Whaddaya mean, Antoine?" she asked. "Sugah, what happened? What'd they do ta me?"

"When I left een zhe morning, everyone was whole," he said, "When I came back een zhe evening, everyone was gone! Broken to pieces! As dead as zhe doorpale!"

"Ya mean 'dead as a doornail', Sugah," she corrected and placed her still flesh talon on Antoine's shoulder.

"Zhees ees not zhe time to be correcting my _terrible _English, Bunnie," he replied, "You wair dead! Een pieces! Your beauteeful bottom half was gone! And your arm and your wings! And yet you awoke een my arms! I was so happy zhat you wair alive, but zhen I realized zhat you suffaired a fate wairse zhan death! Zhe toerment een my heart became zhe double. You wair dying, _ma cherie_. Dying een my arms. My heart was een so much pain, I cannot begeen to describe eet to you, for I have failed to protect you and your clan. Eet was a miracle zhat my cousin found us and brought us here. Zhese wondairful people made a miracle happen and brought you back to me from cairtain death. I do not dessairve such a blessing. I am zhe great failure. I can nevair hope to reach zhe greatness of my fazhair."

"Listen ta me, Sugah 'Twan," she said and pushed him back so she could see his face, she raised her right talon to his face, "What happened ta me and the clan wasn't ya fault. They'ah gone. We have ta live with that now. But we have each othah. Ah love ya, Sugah. Ya've got more greatness in ya than any othah male Ah've known."

"Oh, _ma cherie_," he sobbed and brushed her face with his talon, "_Je t'aime avec tout mon coeur._"

"Oh Sugah 'Twan," she sobbed and then locked lips with him.

I reached over and covered Markl's eyes with my talon.

"Hey," he whispered to me and tried to pry my talon off of his face.

"It's not something you need to be seeing, lad," I said to him.

"Ah, to be young and in love again," I thought to myself with a sigh, smiling as I watched the young couple before me. "I remember those days so well. It doesn't seem like it was so long ago."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Gold Demona)

"Isn't it good to be outside?" Vaala asked as we walked down the street, on our way home from our outing.

"It is kind of nice to get a change of scenery," I agreed, "We should do this sort of thing more often."

"Yeah, when we're not out on rescue missions," Vaala replied.

We'd spent the last two hours just walking around the city. We didn't see anywhere interesting to stop at, but I didn't mind. It was enough just to be out of the apartment.

"So are you feeling better now?" Vaala asked.

"Yeah," I answered, "I'm good now."

"Just let me know if you get all depressed again tomorrow night, okay?" she said, "We'll do this as many times as we need to."

"Thanks," I said, smiling at her.

"No problem," she said, smiling back, "That's what friends are for, right?"

"Right," I said.

"Hey, do you think maybe we'll stop anywhere next time we go out?" she asked as we arrived at the apartment building.

"Maybe," I answered, "You never know."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Meanwhile, in Kyoto)

"What the hell happened, Jigen?!" Lupin yelled as he paced around the room of our current base of operations.

I sat at the small round table in the corner of the room, smoking my third cigarette for the night, while Goemon sat meditating on the couch.

"He frickin moved," I said, "What was I supposed to do?"

"Moving targets have NEVER been an issue for you, Jigen," Lupin pointed out. "You didn't even hit the barn behind him. And this is not the first case. You've been acting really strange for the past two weeks. Your focus is gone. It's like your not putting your heart into the job anymore."

"Perhaps, Lupin," Goemon said, "His heart is somewhere else."

"Somewhere else?" Lupin asked.

"He doesn't know what he's talking about, Lupin," I said.

"I know exactly what I'm talking about," Goemon insisted, "And obviously, so do you."

"Go on, Goemon," Lupin urged.

"He left his heart in New Liberty and took someone else's with him."

"Oh really?" Lupin replied as a wide grin grew on his face, "Jigen, is this true?"

"Wouldn't you like to think so," I said and puffed another cloud of smoke.

"Oh I see," Lupin said, "Whatever that Gold Demona said must've made a big impression on you."

"She told me that she loved me," I said, "That's it."

"That's a pretty big confession to make," he said, "And whether you realize it or not, it looks to me like you feel the same way."

"You know what?" I said as I got up off my chair and pointed my claw at Lupin, "Yer both frickin' nuts!"

"Maybe I am, Jigen," Lupin said, "And maybe we're both completely wrong, but the fact of the matter is that something is preventing you from doing your job. You're the best marksman I know, but if you can't even hit the broad side of a barn, then you're no good to us."

I had to really think about that, because I knew he was right.

"Could it really be her?" I thought.

Just thinking about it made me nervous. After what happened in Barcelona, I swore to myself I'd never fall in love again. And it really scared me to think that it might've be happening again.

"What do you think I should do?" I asked.

He smiled at me, laying his talon on my shoulder.

"Do what your heart tells you, Jigen," he said. "Go where it tells you to go."

I thought about it for a moment, and suddenly I knew exactly what to do. I looked up at my partner and grinned.

"Thanks, man," I said.

He nodded and grinned back.

"Give the old man our regards."

I nodded and turned to the door. I didn't even look back as I opened the door and left for New Liberty.


	10. Chapter 9: A MidAutumn Night's Dream

Gold Demona

**Chapter IX**

A Mid-Fall Night's Dream

(Mr. Piccolo)

(The Next Week) (Late September, 2110 A.D.)

The day was beautiful. It was overcast, and the weatherman had said that perhaps we would begin to see snow this week. I was finally getting a regular flow of customers, so the day was busy. I had just closed up shop when I entered my house to hear my computer beeping.

I went down to the cellar and sat at the computer. I pressed the button and saw the image of my granddaughter on the screen.

"Fio, my dear," I greeted, "To what do I owe the honor of this call?"

"Hey grandpa," she greeted back, "You remember the group that left in that gorgeous gold Mercedes?"

"How can I forget?" I answered, "A Mercedes Benz from the nineteen thirties with the engine of a Ferrari from the early nineteen seventies."

"That's the one," she said.

"What about them, my dear?" I asked as I pulled a handkerchief from my pocket and used it to clean my glasses.

"Well, one of them came back," she said as she stepped aside to reveal a statue of a tall male gargoyle wearing a suit and hat. I put my glasses back on to see him more clearly.

"That is strange," I said, stroking my chin. "Why would anyone reenter the country on purpose?"

"I don't know, grandpa," she answered, "But he said he's heading to Paradigm City. So you'll probably be seeing him tonight. Do you think Mac might know something about it?"

"Perhaps," I said, "But I'm afraid it's still too early to ask her. I'll call her after the sun sets and ask her about it."

"Right, and let me know if you find out anything, okay? 'Cuz now I'm curious."

"So am I, Fio," I replied, "So am I."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Markl)

I was with Mac in her lab. She was sitting at the computer, looking at something on the screen, and I was looking at the map that was spread out on the table. I had to stand on Krypto's back to boost me up so I could get a better look at everything on the table. He didn't mind cuz I was small and light.

"So if this X is us," I said, pointing to the places on the map of New Liberty marked with a big red X. "And this one's Mr. Piccolo. And this one's his granddaughter. Then who are all these other ones?"

"Johst moore stohps ohn the Cremson Pig Ixpriss," Mac answered, "Weh coovar tha wist side of New lehberty, ahnd they coovar tha ist."

"And what if one of 'em gets caught?" I asked. "It's not like they have charms on them like mine that keep them from being seen by the scanners."

"Aye, thaht's true," she said, "They hahve ta beh careful. Ehf one ohf thim gits caught, they ehthar die whir they stahnd oor they move bifoore they're foond."

"Do you think we'll ever get caught?" I asked.

"Eht's highly ohnlikeleh," she answered, "Baht noht emposseble. Weh stahnd moch liss chahnce ohf gitten caught thahn theh ohthars, baht weh stell hahve ta beh careful."

Then her computer started beeping. She pushed a button and an old man's face appeared on the screen.

"Aye, Pehccolo," Mac greeted.

"Mac, my dear," he greeted back, "Do you remember the group you sent our way a few weeks ago?"

"Aye," she nodded, "Whot aboot them?"

"One of them arrived at Fio's last night, and he just left there not two hours ago. Almost as soon as the sun was down. Fio tells me he is going to Paradigm City."

"Bahck here?" she replied, "Who?"

"Tall lad, thick beard, suit and hat, kind of resembles that lad, Boober."

"That's Jigen!" I said.

"Aye, thaht soonds like hem," Mac agreed, "Why woold heh beh coomin' bahck?"

"I was hoping you would be able to tell me," he said. "He apparently didn't tell Fio anything or else she would've told me."

"Thahnk ye foor tha nootice, Pehccolo," she said. "Ah'll lit ya knoo ehf Ah find oot anehthin."

"Please do," he replied, "Fio and I are dying to know, and I don't think he is going to tell me. He's a very quiet boy. Never said a word the entire time when he was here with his friends."

"Ah'll kehp ya poosted, Mr. Pehccolo."

"Good," he said, "I'll let you get back to whatever it was you were doing. Good night."

"G'night, Pehccolo," she said and flipped the screen back to what she was looking at before.

"What do you think he could be coming back for?" I asked.

"Who knoos, lad?" she said, "Boobar, parhahps."

"But Boober hates his guts now," I said.

"Ehf ya hahve a bettar idea, lad, Ah'd like ta hear eht."

"Well no, but it doesn't make any sense."

"Perhahps thir's somethin' we missed," she said, "Sohmethin' else weh hahven't ben toold aboot."

"I wonder what it is."

"Doon't weh all," she replied.

"Should I go tell Boober about this?"

"No, I doon't thenk that'd beh a good idea," she said. "Wouldnae wont ta stir aneh trouble. Tha poor lahd ehs troubled ehnough ahs eht ehs."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Boober)

I sat in the statue room, scrubbing another load of laundry. Red paced around behind me, frustrated about something.

"Are you ever gonna do anything besides laundry?!" she demanded, "For crying out loud, Boober! Every since we got here, you've been doing nothing but laundry! I don't know what you'd do if there weren't so many of us getting our clothes dirty. You didn't even do this much laundry when you lived with the clan! Don't you want to get out and do something?"

"Sure," I replied in sarcasm, "I'd love to waltz right out there where I can be spotted and shot at."

"We have the cloakers, Dumbass!" she retorted, "We can be out for like four and a half hours at a time."

"Yes, but I'd rather not take that chance."

"Then what the hell was the point in you coming?!" she yelled. "You came here with me to help me! How is sitting around doing laundry helping?"

"At least I'm doing something useful," I said, "Having clean clothes is important. What exactly are you doing to help around here, huh?"

"That didn't answer my question," she said, "I asked how you were helping ME, not them."

I stopped what I was doing and turned around to her.

"How can I help you with anything if you don't DO anything?"

"What?!"

"You heard me," I said, "You haven't done a thing since we got here."

"Well," she replied, bringing her voice back down, "There's nothing to do around here."

"Well then," I replied and went back to my laundry. "If you want to go out so badly, why don't you?"

"Fine I will," she said and walked out of the room, leaving me to my laundry.

"Why DON'T you go out and do something?" said a familiar voice from seemingly nowhere. "It'd be fun."

I perked my head up and looked around, but there was no one in sight.

"Who's there?" I asked.

There was no answer. I waited a minute to make sure there actually was no one there. Slowly, I managed to get my attention back to my laundry. I was almost done scrubbing and was ready for rinsing.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Red)

I walked up to the apartment, where I found Vaala and Inspector Whats-his-face sitting on the couch, watching TV.

"Hey Red," Vaala greeted as I shut the TV door behind me. "Where you going?"

"Out," I replied, "I'm bored."

"Hey, I was planning on going out with Gold after she wakes up from her nap," Vaala replied, "Wanna wait with me so we can all go?"

"Sure, why not?" I said as I made my way for the couch, "Scoot over."

They both scooted over and I sat my butt next to Vaala.

"So what's on TV?" I asked.

"More crap on the Prime Ruler," answered the Inspector. "Gettin' kinda tired of seein' his face."

"You still haven't found anything useful yet?" I asked.

"Nope," he answered, "It's really starting to irritate me how much of the same crap they keep putting on the news. It's the same crap over and over again. Prime Ruler Bethovich finds a gargoyle. Primer Ruler Bethovich kills a gargoyle. Prime Ruler Bethovich kisses some babies. Prime Ruler Bethovich---."

"Prime Ruler Bethovich can kiss my ass," I said and reached over to him. "Here, gimme that remote. I'll find us something good to watch."

"No," he said and pulled the remote out of my reach, "I need this."

"I'm not gonna watch this overused crap on the Prime Ruler," I said, "I'd like for time not to drag while we wait for Gold to wake up."

"Don't you want to take a break, Inspector?" Vaala asked. "You've been at this nonstop since you got here. The only time you're not watching the news is when you're sleeping."

"I guess I could use a break," he said and handed me the remote.

"Thank you," I said and started flipping through the channels. I stopped for a second wherever I thought something looked interesting.

"We now return to 'All My Circuits'," said the TV.

"Beh," I said and continued clicking, "Stupid robot soap operas."

"Listen to convincing John," sang some girls in the TV, "And all your troubles will be gone. He's gonna tell it, spell it, sell it just for you."

"Beh," I said and clicked again, "Stupid commercials."

"Somebody set up us the bomb!" Yelled the TV, "We get signal!"

"Grrr..." I growled and clicked again, "Stupid crappy English dubbed Japanese sci-fi movies!"

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(A few hours later...)

(Gold Demona)

I woke up to a loud growl coming from outside my room. I got up and opened the door to find Red with the TV remote in her talons, repeatedly pressing the buttons on it. Vaala and the Inspector just looked on with exasperated looks on both of their faces.

"What the hell?" I asked as I walked in the living room.

"Over a thousand channels," Red said, "And there's NOTHING to watch."

"It's after midnight," I said, "The shows here are programmed for humans, so there's never anything good to watch at this time of night."

"Well, that's a load of crap!" she said and put the remote down on the couch, "Well now that she's awake, let's get outta here."

"Out?" I repeated in puzzlement, "Out where?"

"Red's just bored and restless," Vaala explained, "So I figure we'd all go out tonight. I think that new night club down the street just opened, so maybe we could go there and see what it's like."

"Sweet," I said and then turned to the Inspector, "Think we can convince you to come along with us, Inspector?"

"What?" he replied.

"Dude, you need a break," I said. "Come with us and have some fun."

"Yeah, Inspector," Vaala agreed, "You've been glued to this couch for the last two and a half weeks. Time to stretch your legs."

"And besides," Red added, "You'll look really pimpin' with three gorgeous females at your side."

The three of us all stared at her in confusion.

"Pimpin'?" I asked.

"What?" she replied.

"What the hell does that mean?" Vaala asked.

"That word went out of style at the end of the twentieth century," the Inspector pointed out. "It barely survived into the twenty-first century. And I only know what it means cuz I had to study the street slang of today and the past hundred years. If you were 'pimpin', you were cool enough to hang out with the gangsters."

"Geez, Red," Vaala said, "Where do you go using dead slang on us?"

"Hey, my band specializes in music from that era, ok?" she said. "You tend to pick up stuff."

"Well, to answer yer question, ladies," he said, "I'm afraid I can't let you pry me from the couch just yet."

"Aw, come on, Inspector," Vaala insisted. "It's just for one night. The news will still be there when we come back."

"I'm sorry, but my decision is final. If this wasn't so damn important, I'd gladly take yer offer and go with you."

"I swear, Inspector," I added, "You're gonna fuse with the couch if you sit on it any longer."

"It's a risk I'll have to take I guess," he said, "Why don'tcha ask one of the others if they wanna go?"

"Psh, just not Boober," Red retorted, "He refuses to leave that precious washtub of his."

"Is he still sulking?" I asked.

"He's always sulking," she answered, "I think sulking's one of his favorite things to do. He's just sulking more than usual right now."

"Well then, we won't ask him," I said, "He can babysit Markl and Krypto since it's probably not a place for kids or dogs."

"And Mac's probably not gonna want to leave the lab," Vaala added.

"So that just leaves Silverbolt, then," I said.

"Well," Red said, "Let's track him down and ask him so we can get going already. I'll check the roof."

"We'll check the penthouse," Vaala said as we headed over to the TV.

We went down into the hall, and Vaala turned for the dining room. I turned for the statue room.

"He's probably not gonna be over there, Gold," Vaala said.

"I know," I replied, "But I figure I'd ask Boober if he wanted to come."

"But didn't Red say he didn't want to go out?"

"Yeah, but it wouldn't hurt to ask anyway."

"Alright," she said and continued for the dining room.

I went around the corner and into the statue room, where Boober was sloshing some laundry around in his washtub.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Boober)

"Hey, Boober," Gold greeted from behind me.

"Hey," I greeted back as I lifted a shirt from the tub and began wringing it out.

"Vaala, Red, and I are all going out to that new nightclub down the street tonight," she said, "Red said you wouldn't want to come, but I figured I'd ask anyway, just in case."

"She's right," I said, "I'm perfectly fine where I am. Thanks for asking, though."

"Okay," she said with a shrug. "See you later then."

"Have fun," I said as she turned around and left.

I turned back to my tub and pulled another shirt from it.

"Why did you lie?" said a voice from out of nowhere.

"Who's that?" I asked, looking around the room but finding nobody.

"How much longer are you going to keep lying like this?" he said.

This voice sounded almost identical to mine, but the tone he spoke in was very different. He seemed confident, sure of himself, certainly more so than me.

"What do you mean?" I asked, "How was I lying?"

"You said you were fine," he said, "But you most obviously aren't. You want to go out with them. I know you do, especially knowing Red is going with them."

"Who are you?" I asked. "Why are you here?"

"What?" He replied, "Don't tell me you've forgotten about me already, Boober."

"What are you talking about?" I asked, "I don't know you."

"Of course you do," he said, "I am part of you. I come when you are distressed. The last time I spoke to you was after Jigen left the clan. Remember?"

"Wait," I said, thinking back to those dark years of my life, "You're..."

"That's right," he said.

"Why have you come back?" I asked.

"You should know, Boober," he said, "After all, you and I are one and the same."

I then felt a sharp pain in my head.

"No," I said, "Stop this."

"I'm sorry I have to do this to you again, Boober," he said. "But it's for your own good."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Couple hours later...)

(Vaala)

I sat at a table with Gold, Red, and Silverbolt, each of us with a different drink in front of us. We just sort of hung out and enjoyed the atmosphere of the place.

The Upendi Nightclub was definitely different from anything else I'd seen. The entrance was off to the side from the bar, in front of which was of course a neat row of stools. In front of that was a railing that separated the bar from the rest of the club. From the bar one would step down around the railing to get to main floor. On the front side of the floor were several tables, one of which we were sitting at. After that was a large empty space, which was used for dancing. Rising up beyond that was the stage where the music was played.

The decor of the club revolved around two themes. The first theme was Africa, because the owner himself was an immigrant from Africa. He was an old man at least in his seventies, with dark brown wrinkled skin and long white hair spiking from the bottom half of his head and the sides of his face. He covered the walls of the place with tribal masks and various forms of plant life. The other theme was love and romance because the word Upendi was the Swahili word for love. Amongst the plants and masks were pictures of couples together under various scenes. Some enjoying a sunset. Some having dinner under the stars and a crescent moon. Some sitting on benches and walking through beaches.

The music they played varied with the musician on stage. Sometimes it was soft and sweet. Sometimes it was upbeat and bouncy. There were several different styles, but they always kept consistent with the theme of love and romance. The girl currently on stage was a young girl, probably in her late teens. She had pale skin and dark blue hair, but somehow it looked natural. She wore what looked like a gypsy outfit. She was singing something about finding true love.

For the most part we'd been sitting at the table talking, occasionally getting up to get drinks or something, although I noticed Gold got up more often than the rest of us. We were in the middle of some random conversation when we heard a loud padded tapping sound coming from the speakers at the stage. We looked over to see the old owner man at the microphone.

"T'ank you, Luna," he said in his African accent, "For dat beautiful performance. Isont she beautiful, everyone? Let me heah some applause for her."

We all clapped for a moment.

"T'ank you," he said, "And welcome to Upendi, wheah deh passion fruit grow sweet, and it's so divine dat you lose your mind as it sweeps you off your feet. It makes me glad to see so many people heah on dis opening night, and I hope to see many more in deh future. And now I without further ado, I will return to deh bar and let you continue your evening wit' more of deh beautiful music you've been listening to dis evening."

He stepped off the stage as another band took over the stage and started playing music.

"This place is beautiful," Gold pointed out, sipping her margarita. "Everything is so beautiful here."

"Yeah I know," I agreed, "Wish they'd play more fast music, though."

"No kidding," Red said, "It's a total snore fest. Too much sap and not enough energy. I thought nightclubs were supposed to be for partying."

"Apparently this nightclub has another purpose in mind," Silverbolt pointed out. "The theme of love is obviously part of it. It is very well laid out. I can tell this man put his heart into this place."

"We should come here more often," Gold said as she suddenly found her margarita glass empty. "Dang, that was quick."

"Gold, you need to be careful," I said, "That was your fifth one."

"These things are so good, though," Gold said and got up from her seat, "I'm getting another one."

"I really think you should heed her warning, Gold" Silverbolt said.

"Seriously," Red said, "You're already looking like you're starting to wobble."

"What are you all my parents now?" She asked, "I'm fine. I can handle a few drinks. It's not like I'm going anywhere tomorrow. And besides, we're walking distance from home. So what are you worried about?"

"Fine," Red said, "Just don't come crying to us when you start puking all over the place."

"Thanks, Mom," She said as she walked away in a crooked line to the bar.

"She says she's fine," I sad, "But I know she's not."

"She's still not over Jigen yet?" Red blurted. "Damn, she's pathetic!"

"Perhaps Jigen was her first love," Silverbolt said. "They do say that the first cut is always the deepest."

"Cut?" Red said. "Cut? Who's talking about cuts? We're talking about a girl who can't get over a guy she only knew for half a week."

"What he means, Red," I said, "Is that the first heartbreak is always the most difficult to get over."

"Well why didn't he say so?" Red replied.

"Anyway," I said, ignoring what Red just said, "I'm really starting to worry about her."

"It is awful to see her like this," Silverbolt said, "But this is something she must trudge through herself, even if it means ignoring the warnings of her friends and drinking herself into a stupor."

"She's being really stupid about all this," Red said, "I mean, I got over my first crush the next day after he dumped me."

"Yeah, and how many boyfriends have you had since then?" I asked.

"Thirty-nine," she answered in a casual tone, "Why?"

I blinked for a moment.

"You keep track of all your boyfriends?" I asked.

"Yeah, doesn't everybody?" she said.

"I'm back," Gold said as she returned with another glass full of margarita and sat back down. "And you know what? I've decided something."

"And what's that, Gold?" I asked.

"I've decided I'm never falling in love again," she said and started drinking.

"What?" I laughed, "Gold, I think the margaritas have started getting to your brain."

"No, I'm serious. It's not worth it. I don't ever again want to feel the kind of hurt I've been feeling for the past three weeks. It sucks and I hate it. So from now on, I am forever single."

"That certainly sounds like the margaritas talking," Silverbolt said.

"Oh yeah," Red agreed. "Definitely the margaritas talking."

"No, this is ME talking," Gold replied, "I don't ever want to fall in love again. And that, as they say, is that."

"Okay, Gold," I said, deciding not to argue anymore, "Whatever you say."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(A hour later...)

(Gold Demona)

By the time we left the nightclub, I wasn't able to keep myself standing. Apparently eight margaritas was too much for me to drink in three hours. I had to walk down the street with one arm slumped over Vaala's shoulders and the other slumped over Red's. Silverbolt followed close behind to make sure I didn't fall backwards.

"I TOLD you to be careful, Gold," Vaala said to me. "Be glad you're not working tomorrow, cuz I don't think they'd allow you to call in hung over."

"Shu' up," I said, trying to focus on the street ahead of me. "It wa'n't my fault they made those things so damn good."

"That had nothing to do with it, Gold," Silverbolt scolded, "You brought this upon yourself."

"Duh, Gold," Red added, "Our drinks were good, too, but you don't see us using our friends as crutches."

"I know," I said, realizing they were all right, "I was stupid."

"No kidding," Red agreed.

"Be nice, Red," Vaala said.

"Be nice?" she replied, "If anything we should be making fun of her for drinking herself stupid."

"Could you guys not talk so loud please?" I asked, scrunching my eyes as a sharp pain went through my head.

"Oh, you think it's bad now?" Red said, "Just wait until morning. You'll wish you were dead. I'm just glad I won't be awake for it."

"Red!" Vaala yelled.

"Ow!" I yelled back.

"Sorry Gold," she said.

I looked ahead to see how close we were to home. We were almost arriving at the door when something caught my attention out of the corner of my eye. My vision was comparable to a kaleidoscope, but I kept my gaze at this thing that caught my attention. I started to walk towards it, pulling myself away from Vaala and Red. I was determine to get to this blur that stood in front of me.

It was in the shape of a man in a dark suit and a matching splotch where his head was. I wobbled my way over to it.

"Could it be?" I asked to myself in thought as I staggered down the sidewalk for several yards and stumbled right into the dark figure ahead of me. I grabbed on to the edges of his jacket to keep myself stable and leaned my weight to him.

I could feel his talons wrap around my arms and pull me back from him, though I still held tight to his jacket. I looked up to his face and suddenly my vision was clear.

"Is it you?" I asked, not quite believing what I was seeing. "Is it really you?"

"Aw man, Gold," he said to me softly, "What'd I do to you?"

"It is you," I said as tears quickly welled up in my eyes, "You came back."

"I never said I wasn't," he said with a grin.

"I know," I sobbed with a smile, "But you never said you were, either."

"I couldn't stay away," he said, raising his talon to my face, wiping my tears, "I had a vote for me to come back, and there was something I needed to return."

"What's that?" I asked.

"The night I left you told me that you loved me," he said. "It took me two weeks to figure out that I had to come back and return the favor."

I looked at him, gazing through the space between the rim of his hat and the top of his beak, right into his deep black eyes. He looked right back at me, with a look of tenderness in those eyes.

"I love you, Gold," he said, "I'm sorry it took me so long to come back."

"Jigen," I sobbed, tightening my grip on the edges of his jacket, "This can't be real. I must be dreaming. That must be what it is. I passed out because I drank too much and now I'm mph-mm----"

I found myself unable to speak as he pressed his puckered beak to my lips. My mouth was filled with the flavor of tobacco. It was a disgusting taste, but at the same time, I enjoyed every second of it. I slowly closed my eyes as he wrapped arms around me, and although I couldn't see his wings through his cloak, I could feel them wrap around me as well. I pressed myself closer to him as our lips finally parted.

"Let's go home," he said. "You need to rest."

"Jigen," I replied, still not quite believing it.

He released me from his embrace and swept me up in his arms.

"Woah!" I said as I could feel my body being lifted from the ground, my unstable equilibrium making it feel like he'd spun me in a twister. "Jigen, make the city stop spinning please."

"Yeah, I didn't think so," he said and started walking, "You're probably not even gonna make it up the elevator."

"Mmmm, elevator," I said as I pressed myself to his warm chest.

I managed to raise my talon up to his chest close to where my head was.

"If this is another dream," I thought, "It's the best one so far."

I heard voices begin to talk all around me as Jigen kept walking, but I couldn't hear what they were saying. I was far away, dozing off in my drunken stupor.


	11. Chapter 10: Sad and Lonely Clown

Gold Demona

**Chapter X**

Sad and Lonely Clown

(Gold Demona)

(The Next Day, Late Morning) (Late September, 2110 A.D.)

"Uuugghhh..." I groaned as I opened my eyes from the sleep I was in.

My head felt like it was being crushed and my stomach felt like a rock. I sat up in my bed, but that only succeeded in making it worse.

"Hey, you're awake finally," Vaala said.

I looked up and saw her sitting on a chair beside the bed.

"Where am I?" I asked.

"In your bedroom, of course," she said, "You remember anything from last night?"

"I remember the bar," I said, "And I remember walking out of there."

"How about after that?" she asked.

"After that I guess I passed out or something," I said, "I had the most wonderful dream. Jigen was in it."

"In this dream," she said, "Did he happen to come back and tell you that he loved you? Followed by a kiss?"

I blinked at her for a moment.

"How'd you know that?"

She pointed to the other side of the bed. I looked over, and kneeled at my bedside, with his arms crossed on the bed and his head resting on them, was the statue of Jigen.

"You mean..." I said, "You mean it actually happened?"

"Yep," she said. "After that you passed out in his arms. Then later after we brought you back here you got up, stumbled to the bathroom and puked. Then you came back and passed back out."

"I don't remember any of that," I said, "The last thing I remember was being in Jigen's arms."

I looked over to him. And then a sick sensation welled up in my chest and I had to turn away.

"Oh dear God, and I was drunk off my ass," I said, "How embarrassing!"

"Well if it makes you feel any better, Gold," she said, "He stayed with you the whole rest of the night. Apologizing every few minutes for not coming back sooner."

I looked to him again.

"He really came back," I said with a smile.

"Yeah," Vaala replied. "The only one who doesn't know about it yet is Boober."

"What? Why?" I asked.

"Jigen asked us not to tell him yet," she answered, "He wants to tell him himself tonight. Just as well. Boober was acting kind of weird last night anyway."

"How so?" I asked.

"Well when we came back from the nightclub, he went up to the roof with his basket of laundry, but he was acting different. Something about the look on his face gave me the creeps."

"Weird," I said. "Ugh..."

I laid back down on the bed and rolled over onto my stomach.

"Still not feeling too good, huh?" she said.

"I feel like somebody replaced my stomach with a big rock," I replied.

"It's your own fault, you know," she pointed out, "We kept telling you to stop, but you kept going anyway."

"I know," I said, "I know."

"Maybe some food will help," she said, "I'll make you some breakfast."

"'Kay," I replied and just stayed there.

I turned my head so I could look at Jigen.

"You came back to me," I thought. "You're really here."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Vaala)

"So how's she doin'?" the Inspector asked as I walked out of the room.

"Really hung over," I answered as I walked into the kitchen. "But she's happy. She'd probably be drowning in misery if Jigen wasn't in there with her."

"Well, then it's a good thing he came when he did," he said, keeping his gaze on the TV. "I really wasn't expecting that out of him. Jigen's always been the type to avoid females."

"And yet here he is sleeping at Gold's bedside," I said and pulled some eggs and bacon out of the fridge and a frying pan out of the cabinet.

"Love's a weird thing," he said as he clicked the remote and turned the TV off.

"Going to sleep?" I asked as I started preparing some scrambled eggs and bacon.

"Yup," he said and got up off the couch and took his badge out of his jacket pocket. "And I think I'll sleep the regular way this time. It's still morning, so I think I'll get a decent amount of sleep."

"Alright, Inspector," I said.

"Nighty-night," he said and put his badge down on the end table next to the couch and immediately turned to stone.

I chuckled and continued cooking the eggs and bacon.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(That Night...)

(Jigen)

I burst from my sleep with a stretch and a yawn. I looked over and found Gold sitting at the edge of the bed beside me. I looked up at her. I asked myself why I didn't see sooner how beautiful her weird features were. The way her horns tilted away from each other. Her bright red eyes and her pale yellow skin. Her pink and blue spiky hair. The flap of dark pink at the end of her tail.

"Hey, Beautiful," I said.

Her face turned orange when I said that.

"What?" I chuckled.

"Well, um..." she started to say, but then stopped.

"You feeling better?" I asked.

"Yeah," she said, "Better than last night anyway."

"Yeah," I replied and turned my gaze away.

"I'm really embarrassed," she said, "You come all the way back here just to find me drunk."

"I can't but feel responsible for that," I replied. "I should've come back sooner. You wouldn't have drunk yourself into that mess."

She placed her talon on my face and turned it so I'd look at her again.

"You came back," she said, "That's all that matters to me."

I walked over on my knees until I was directly in front of her. I wrapped my arms and wings around her, squeezing myself as close as I could to her. With how tall I was, my head came all the way up to her chest. She brought her talons behind my head and pulled me closer, knocking my hat off my head and dropping it onto the floor. I didn't care. The only thing I cared about was being with her.

"I love you," she said.

"I love you too," I replied.

We stayed like that for what seemed like forever, occasionally tightening our hold on each other. We probably could've stayed like that forever if we weren't interrupted by a sudden knock at the bedroom door. I got up to my feet and stuck my talons in my pants pockets.

"Yeah?" Gold called to the door. "Come in."

The door open, and Mac stepped into the room carrying a bottle of scotch wrapped in a paper bag.

"Ehvnin, Lass," she greeted and then nodded to me, "Ahnd Lad. Wilcome bahck."

"Thanks," I said.

"Going to Bender's?" Gold asked.

"Aye," she answered, holding up the bottle, "Ah fegured Ah'd chick ohn ye bifore Ah lift. Ah hird ye drenk yersilf ento a stupar lahst night."

"Yeah, I did," Gold replied, scratching the back of her head.

"Too many margaritas," I added, motioning my talon like I was drinking from a glass.

"Will, Ah'm glahd ta see ya doin' well," Mac said and turned to leave, "Ah'll be ohff."

"Later Mac," Gold said as Mac shut the door behind her.

She then turned to me.

"How'd you know what I was drinking?" she asked.

"Are you kidding me?" I asked, "There was lime juice, rum, and tequila all over your breath. And I could taste it when I kissed you."

She looked down and then bent down and picked my hat up off the floor.

"Here," she said as she handed it to me. I smiled and put it back on my head.

"Thanks," I said.

"Let's get some food," she said and turned for the door. "I'm still not completely over my hang over, but so far eating has helped me feel better."

I watched her walk away for a second before answering. She looked so beautiful, I couldn't help but stare at her.

"Sure," I answered and then started following her out. I saw Red on the couch with Pops.

"Hey, the love birds are up," Red said as we walked out.

"Hey, Red," Gold replied.

"Evening, Pops," I greeted and walked over to the couch.

"Yup," he replied, not turning his gaze away from the TV.

"Lupin sends his regards," I said to him.

"Of course he does," he replied, "Smug little bastard."

"Well look at it this way," I said to him with a grin, "From now on he'll have to do all his own shooting."

"Well that's true," he said.

"Muffins all around!" Gold announced as she brought a tray with various types of muffins piled ontop of it.

"Awesome!" Red said and picked up a muffin.

"Inspector?" she asked as she held the tray up so he could reach.

"Sure why not?" he said and grabbed a muffin.

"Jigen?" she asked and brought it up to me.

I smiled at her, and she smiled back at me as she held the tray of muffins in front of me. I grabbed one from the tray and stuck the whole thing in my mouth. My beak was big enough that a full-sized muffin was bite-sized to me. She laughed and took the tray to the counter at the kitchen. She put it down and grabbed a muffin.

"Jigen," Red said.

"What?" I replied.

"Just because you and Gold are an item now," she said, "It doesn't mean I don't still wanna throttle you. I just won't right now out of respect for Gold. But I promise you the next time I catch you alone, I'll knock your sorry ass into next week."

"Whatever happened to that promise you made to never lay another claw on me?" I asked.

"That promise became null and void when Boober stopped liking you," she said.

"Great," I said in sarcasm. "Thanks for the warning."

"Sure," she said. "It's just sad Boober still doesn't know you're here. He might've already beat me to it by now."

"Where is he anyway?" I asked.

"Still in the statue room," she answered, "Everyone else went to the dining room for breakfast. I only came up here so I could give you that warning since last night was so not the right time for it."

"Gee thanks," I groaned.

"Okay, who wants another muffin?" Gold burst in to change the subject.

"I'll have another," Pops answered, raising his talon high in the air.

Gold tossed another muffin to him, and he caught it with the talon he had raised. She then walked over behind the couch. I followed so I would be close to her.

"Think we can steal the TV from you for a while, Inspector?" Gold asked.

"Sure, knock yerself out," he answered and handed the remote to her, "The TV's yours anyhow."

"Thanks," she said and started flipping through channels.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Who?)

I was standing alone in the statue room, looking around at everything in it. The chairs strewn around, the washtub, Silverbolt's books, all boring items.

"What is this?" asked a scared voice that only I could hear, "What's going on?"

"There you are, Boober," I replied to the voice, "I didn't want to do anything without you knowing it. That would be rude."

"Don't do this," he pleaded. "Put me back, please."

"You've been denying yourself a good time for too long," I said and looked down on Boober's body, which I was now in control, "I need to rectify that. And this time I'll make sure you watch so you can appreciate what I'm doing for you."

I looked down at the body I was in control of. I grabbed the bottom of the t-shirt he wore and pulled it up.

"What are you doing?" Boober asked as he watched me remove his shirt.

"Relax, will you?" I replied, "I'm just making myself more comfortable."

I noticed that by taking off the shirt, I dropped the reddish-brown scarf he wore. I picked it back up and looped it around on my shoulders. I took his hat off and looked at it.

"Oh come on," he said.

"Don't get me wrong, it's a nice hat," I said and dropped it on the floor ontop of his shirt, "But it's hardly necessary."

I walked over to the hall and found a mirror on the wall. I looked at Boober's reflection, which was currently my own. I noticed that the black had started growing back into his hair.

"It's about time to re-dye your hair, my friend," I said and then rubbed my chin with my talon, "And this stubble is getting kind of long. If you keep this up, before you know it, you'll look like Jigen again."

"Don't even joke about that," he retorted, the lips in the reflection moving.

"You don't genuinely hate him, do you?" I asked.

"Well, I can't say I'm very happy with him," he replied.

"I don't blame you," I said. "You have no reason at all to be happy with him. As a matter of fact, he's the whole reason you pushed me back as far as you did."

"Pushed you back?" He repeated.

"Yes," I said, "I am made of everything you believe to be fun. My very existence is made up of every thought you have of something that could really make you happy. But you have this bad habit of not letting any of these thoughts manifest themselves in the real world, especially when something bad happens to you. So you drown yourself in this incessant boredom, and it all gets bottled up. I don't like being bottled up, Boober. It's not a fun place to be. In fact, it's a really cramped place to be. Because eventually that bottle gets really crowded. It gets full to the point that the cork won't hold it in anymore, and I have to come out and fix everything."

"And how do you intend to fix it this time?" he asked.

"I'm going to do what you are afraid to," I answered. "Things you wanted to do, but were too scared to do it."

"What do you mean?" he asked in a nervous tone, "What are you going to do?"

"Don't worry, Boober," I said and grinned at the nervous-looking reflection in the mirror, "I'll take care of everything. And I think I'll start with the lab."

"Mac's lab?" he replied, "Why there?"

"Oh you know exactly why," I said, "You're still upset about Mac banishing you from her lab."

"I don't blame her for what she did," he replied, "People like her need their piles where they are."

"Yes, I know," I said, "Something called an organized mess. They have things in a particular order that looks like total chaos to anyone else. That doesn't mean you don't want to get her back for nearly ripping your ear off just for moving a couple of papers."

"Get her back?" he repeated nervously.

"Yes," I replied, "She's gone out to give her robot his bottle of scotch, and everyone else is either in the dining room or in the apartment. So right now there is no one watching the lab."

"What are you intent on doing?" he asked.

"You'll see," I said, widening my grin. "And you'll thank me for it later."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Gold Demona)

Jigen had eaten three more muffins by the time I'd finished my one. The channel we ended up staying on was one of the educational channels. They were showing a documentary about the history of New Liberty, so we were also able to fulfill the Inspector's needs. It was just getting to the part where they were talking about New Liberty's declaration of independence when the TV swung open and Vaala jumped from behind it.

"Red!" she yelled, "Jigen! Anyone!"

"What happened?" I asked.

"Something's wrong with Boober," she said.

"Whaddaya mean?" Red asked.

"What's wrong?" Jigen asked.

"He's not himself," she answered, "We saw him walking into the lab and we followed him to see what he was doing, and he started messing with things. Silverbolt managed to grab him before he could do any major damage, but he's really acting weird."

Jigen and Red looked at each other, as if they knew what she was talking about. Then they both looked back at Vaala.

"What's he wearing?" Jigen asked.

"Just his pants and his scarf," Vaala answered, "His shirt and hat are missing."

They both jolted past Vaala and into the penthouse. We all followed them down and into the hall. We all stood in the hall outside of Mac's lab, I could hear a struggle going on inside.

"Let me go!" Boober said.

"Why are you doing this?" Silverbolt asked, struggling to keep him still, "Get a hold of yourself, Boober!"

"Grrr..." he growled.

"Oh no," Red said.

"Damn it all," Jigen said.

"What's going on?" I asked. "Jigen?"

"We don't have time to explain right now," he answered.

"You think it might be--?" Red asked.

"Sure seems like it," Jigen answered before she could finish, "You go in first and try to talk to him. If we know for sure it's him, I'll jump it."

"Right," she said and stepped inside. "Hey!"

"Red!" Boober said, "How are you doing?"

"Just what the hell do you think you're doing?" she asked, "You know Mac doesn't like you in the lab."

"But that's exactly why I'm in here," he said. "But listen, let's forget about that. Why don't you and me go somewhere tonight, huh? Just you and me."

"That's it," Jigen said and stepped inside. I followed behind.

"Sidebottom!" he yelled.

Boober looked up at Jigen with a look of total amazement in his face.

"Jigen!" he greeted with a cheerful tone as Jigen walked up to him. "Well, this is certainly an interesting turn of events."

"Let 'im go, Silver," Jigen said.

Silverbolt released Boober from his grip, and Boober then crossed his arms as Jigen grabbed him by the scarf and pulled him closer.

"What the hell are you doing here, Sidebottom?" Jigen asked.

"Sidebottom?" I repeated in confusion.

"Oh, you got me," he replied, "I've only come out to play. Boober never lets me out anymore. The fun side of Boober that is always kept on the bottom, Sidebottom. But you know, Jigen, it's all your fault I'm here. Ever since you left the clan Boober's been wallowing in boredom. It got worse after they died. And you had to top it off when we found out what you've been doing the whole time you've been gone. I only come out so Boober can have a little fun."

"How is screwing up the lab fun?" Red asked. "Especially since everything in here is important to Mac."

"Wanted to start with a little payback," he said, "For being booted out the night we first came here. After that I was planning to move on to something else. Possibly asking you out, Red, cuz Boober's too chicken to ask you himself. He's been in love with you for years, but never had the balls to tell you."

Jigen then yanked Boober down onto the table in the center of the lab, knocking some stuff onto the floor.

"Give me back my brother, Sidebottom," Jigen growled, pressing him down on the table.

"Your brother?" he chuckled, "And since when, Jigen, did you give a rat's ass about your brother? You left the clan and became a criminal, leaving your brother to rot in his anguish. Even now he's questioning you, Jigen. He's asking me why you're going to so much trouble now. And why you came back."

"He knows what's going on?" Jigen asked.

"Boober is perfectly aware of what's going on," he answered. "When we saw you walk in, Jigen, the first thing he said to me was 'What the heck is HE doing here?'."

"Look, I know I screwed up," Jigen said, "I'm sorry I hurt you, Boober. I didn't want it to go like that. I never told you anything because I didn't want you to suffer, but then I found out you were suffering anyway by not knowing. You had every right to hit me. I'll let you hit me again if it'll make you feel better. I came back for two reasons. One of them is to be with Gold. The other is to make things right with you. I can't change what I did, and I know I can't make the pain go away, but I want to try and start over. Boober, please say you'll forgive me."

Boober's face scrunched and he started to groan and growl, like he was struggling with something in his head.

"Jigen," he struggled to say, his voice sounding softer and higher in pitch than it did a minute ago.

"Boober?" Jigen said. "Is that you?"

"Help me..." he said. "He won't... let me come back."

"Come on, Boober," Jigen urged.

"No," he growled and banged his head back on the table, then he stopped struggling. "There. That's better."

"What'd you do?" Jigen growled. "What happened to Boober?"

"He's just sleeping," he answered. "I can't let him come back until I've finished what I've come here for."

Jigen's talon looked like a blur as he reached behind him, grabbed his gun, and pointed it right into Boober's throat.

"You son of a bitch!" Jigen growled, eyes glowing white. "Bring 'im back!"

"Jigen!" I yelled.

"Grrr-rraaahh..." he groaned, scrunching his face again, "Dammit, Jigen! You woke him up and made him screech! That really hurt! You think it's bad to the ears, try it right in your head!"

"Good," Jigen replied and put the gun away again, "Now give him back."

"I told you I can't," he replied, "If I go back, he'll bottle me up again. If I get bottled up again, the cycle will only start over again, and I'll be back out soon enough and we'll have to go through all this again. The only way for any of this to be fixed is for Boober to stop sulking and have some fun every once in a while. The more he bottles me up, the worse the situation is when I finally pop out. Do you get it? Cuz he sure doesn't."

"GrrrrrRRR!" Red growled as she stepped up and punched Boober in the face. "Cut the crap and give him back!"

He slowly turned his head back around and looked up to Red, a sad look growing on his face.

"You want him back that badly?" he asked in a softer tone.

"Just stop talking and give him back," she answered, holding her fist ready.

"Just a moment," he said and closed his eyes. "Give me a few minutes to talk to him alone. This really is an issue that needs to be resolved. And it's really just between him and me anyway."

He rested his head and took a deep breath. Jigen loosened his grip on Boober's scarf and stepped back.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Boober)

I was floating in a dark place. I couldn't tell up from down, and I couldn't see anyone or anything anywhere around me.

"What is this place?" I wondered out loud. "Where am I?"

"Welcome to the bottom," I heard Sidebottom say as he appeared in front of me, a gargoyle identical to me in every way, except I was wearing my hat and shirt. "Where you have always kept me."

"The bottom of what?" I asked.

"To be honest, I don't really know," he said, "Your mind? Your priorities? Your feelings maybe? It's too dark to know what exactly this is the bottom of. Whatever it is, it's the bottom. And when I'm not out making mischief, this is where I live."

"It's so lonely in here," I pointed out.

"It's not a fun place," he said, "Now you can see why I'm always so desperate for air. I'm a manifestation of fun and happiness, but I'm kept in a place so dark and lonely. It's a representation of the state of mind you put yourself in. Your longing to do something fun trapped in a constant state of self-made boredom."

"Is this why you insist on tormenting me?" I asked. "Because I put you in this awful place?"

"I don't meant to torment you," he said, "I'm part of you, Boober. Like I said before, I am made of the thoughts that make you happy. I want you to be happy. The more you deny yourself that happiness, the more strain you build up on both yourself and me. There are times when this place feels like it closes in on me. And unlike most of your fears, which are just stupid and made-up, you actually do suffer from claustrophobia, so you can probably imagine what I go through down here."

Just thinking about it sent a chill up my spine and through my wings. I dropped to my knees, trying to think of what I could do to fix this. It was then that it occurred to me that this mischievous side of me known as Sidebottom was suffering just as much as I was, and that his so-called mischief was always to help me.

"So all those times,' I said, "Even when I was young. All those times you showed up were to release the tension that I'd built up on you."

"Now you get it," he said, "You finally get it."

"Yes, I get it," I replied, "What do you want me to do?"

"I want you to do what you want to do, Boober," he said. "Go outside and see what there is to see. Sure, doing laundry by hand is relaxing, but there are things that are much higher up on your list. I know. I've seen you do it. You found it before. You can find it again."

"But where will I find it?" I asked.

"You'll know it when you see it," he said and started to fade away. "I know you can do it. Find what you want to do and go do it. Promise me you'll find it."

"I promise," I said, "Wait, where are you going?"

"Back," he said as he kept fading.

"Back? Back where?"

"Just back," he said as he faded out of sight, "Remember your promise, Boober, and you won't ever have to worry about me."

"Sidebottom! Wait!"

The darkness flashed away, and suddenly I was back in the lab, lying on my back on the table. I looked around and saw everyone huddled around me, including Mac. All of them with worried looks on their faces. Directly in front of me was Jigen, who was the first to step up to me after I woke up.

"Boober?" he said. "Are you alright?"

"Jigen," I said as I sat up. "You came back."

"Yeah," he said with a nod. "And this time I'm staying."

"I'm glad," I said, "I really am."

"What happened to Sidebottom?" Red asked.

"He's gone," I answered. "And he's not coming back."

I looked around and noticed the horrid mess I'd made of the lab.

"Mac," I said, unable to look up at her, "I'm so sorry. I made a mess of your lab. I know you told me to never come in here again, but I couldn't stop it."

"Doon't warry aboot eht, lad," she said, "Ah'll clen eht ohp laytar."

I got up from the table and started walking to the door, working my way around everyone else in the room.

"Where are you going?" Gold asked.

"Out," I answered, "I need to go out."

"Out where?" Red asked.

I looked over to her. I knew very well what Sidebottom had said to her about how I felt about her. Although it relieved me that it was out in the open, it made me nervous not knowing how she felt about it. The only emotion I saw in her face was worry.

"I don't know," I said, "I only know I need to go out."

"Is there anything we can do, Boober?" Markl asked as I passed him and Krypto.

"No, Markl," I answered, "Not this time."

I made my way through the lab and eventually out to the streets.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Couple hours later...)

I wandered the city for what seemed like forever. I hadn't the faintest idea what I was looking for, but I looked anyway, walking up and down the streets of Paradigm. By the time I'd started my way back home, the streets were all starting to look the same.

"What is it you want me to find out here?" I thought as I walked down the street where the apartment building was.

As I continued walking, I passed a building with a big lighted sign that read 'Upendi'. I stopped in front of it for a moment and looked in through the window.

"This is the nightclub Gold told me about," I thought. "This is where they all went last night."

I noticed something else out of the corner of my eye. I looked down at the bottom of the window, where was posted a small sign.

"Singers wanted," I read out loud, "Auditions tomorrow night at eight."

I looked up at the lighted sign again.

"It's been years since the last song I sang," I thought to myself as I started walking away towards the apartment building. "I haven't even practiced any since then."

"But it wouldn't hurt to try, would it?" Sidebottom asked.

"I suppose not," I answered as I walked into the apartment building, "We'll just see what happens tomorrow."


	12. Chapter 11: A Song To Sing

Gold Demona

**Chapter XI**

A Song to Sing

(Inspector Zenigata)

(The next evening, just before eight...) (Late September, 2110 A.D.)

I was flipping back and forth between the local news and the Educational Channel, holding the remote in one talon and a cup of hot coffee in the other. I had a feeling that I was close to finally finding what I've been looking for. Currently both of the channels were on commercial, so I was just waiting on the Educational Channel for the show to come back on when the TV opened up. Boober stepped out from behind it.

"Where ya goin'?" I asked when I noticed he wasn't carrying a laundry basket.

"Out for a walk," he said as he shut the door behind him and walked across the living room in front of me. "I'll be back later."

"Okay," I replied and watched him turn on his cloak and leave.

I turned my attention back to the TV just as the commercials were ending and took a sip of my coffee.

"...When one enters the city of Volgograd Prime," said the voice on the TV, "The first thing one takes note of is the grand hundred-fifty-story Capital Building, the place the Prime Ruler calls his home and office. The top floor, of course, is the Prime Ruler's penthouse. The three floors below it house the offices of the Prime Ruler and all of his top generals. The floors below it are the various branches of military and special intelligence that serve under the Prime Ruler. The floors below it down to the fifteenth floor are the offices of the Prime Ruler's military intelligence. And the bottom fifteen floors house areas open to the public, including a museum dedicated to the Prime Ruler, a reference room of national archives, the Prime Convention Center, and the New Liberty National Library."

"PFFT!!!" I spat as I heard it, spraying coffee all over the place. "The National Library?!"

"So if you happen to be in the area," The voice in the TV, "It would be worth your while to check this place out."

"You bet it would!" I replied and shut the TV off. "Woohoo! Finally, I'm gettin' somewhere! Volgograd, here I come!"

I jumped from the couch that'd been my bed for the past three weeks and ran down into the penthouse.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Boober)

I walked down the street to the nightclub. There was a new sign on the window with an arrow pointing towards the alleyway to the side. Above the arrow was written 'Auditions At Rear Door'. I looked down the alley it pointed to. It was dark. I could barely see to the door at the end, and that was because the street lights were so bright. I took a gulp and stepped into the alley. I went all the way down to the back door. There was a sign posted on it that read 'Auditions Here'. I pushed on the door handle and stepped inside.

Inside was a small room with a small stage. On the stage was someone at an upright piano and someone getting ready for his tryout. In front of the stage was an old African man sitting on a foldable chair. He had dark brown skin and long white hair that spiked out from the bottom half of his head and down the sides of his wrinkled face. He looked over to me as I walked in.

"Ah wondahful," he said and pointed to the wall on the other side of the room, "Anodah applicant. If you would please step ovah to deh fah side of deh room, I will get right to you."

"Uh, thank you," I said as I shut the door behind me and did as he said, noting that he was watching me closely the entire time.

There were several people in line ahead of me. Some alone, some in groups. Many of them much better-looking than me. I still hadn't taken the time to shave off my stubble. I rubbed my talon under my beak.

"This isn't going to work," I thought to myself, "What am I doing here?"

"I think we're ready to begin, Rafiki," said a female voice from the piano.

"Excellent!" the old African man said as he got up off the chair and walked up onto the stage. He took the microphone from the mike stand spoke into it.

"Now den," he said, "I would like to staht by saying welcome. Every one of you. I am Rafiki, and I am deh ownah of deh Upendi Nightclub. I will be deh judge for dis audition, wit' deh piano assistance from deh lovely Luna."

A young girl with pale skin and blue hair leaned over from her seat at the piano and waved at all of us. The strange thing was I could've sworn she was looking right at me. I smiled and waved back.

"Deh way dis will work is simple," Rafiki continued, "Each applicant will come up to deh stage and play dheir song."

"Play their song?" I thought and started getting nervous, "I never prepared one. What'll I do?"

"If you happened to just come in after seeing deh sign," Rafiki continued, "And have no song prepared, we have a large selection of songs dat you can choose from. Do not worry. Luna knows hundreds of songs, and I am sure you will know at least one of dem."

My nerves eased up after that and I let out a sigh.

"And now wit'out furder delay," he said as he slipped the microphone back onto its stand, "Let us get stahted."

He then released the microphone and stepped off the stage and back to his chair.

"Are you nervous?" asked the girl directly in front of me in line, turning to me.

She spoke with a very soft and sweet voice. She was a tall girl, barely a couple inches shorter than me, with light peach skin and long light-brown hair. She had three dark blue shapes tattooed on her face, a long slim diamond shape in the center of her forehead and an upside-down rounded triangle on each of her cheeks just behind her eyes.

"You have no idea," I answered, remembering the risk I was taking, a gargoyle applying for a job in New Liberty. I was really thankful for my cloaker at that point.

"Don't worry," she said with a smile, "I'm sure you'll do fine. I hope we both get the job. My name is Belldandy."

"Boober," I said, pointing to myself.

"Well, Boober," she said, "Let's do our best and pray that we are accepted. I wish you the best of luck."

I smiled and nodded.

"Thanks," I replied, "You too."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Markl)

I was watching Mac as she scrolled through some data on her computer. It just looked like a bunch of numbers to me, but she said it was supposed to be Gold's DNA. I wasn't sure how long she'd been doing this, but for as long as I'd been there she would always take some time out of every night to look at these numbers.

"What exactly are you looking for?" I asked.

"Sohmthin," she said, "Ehnethin thaht could till meh sohmtin aboot har."

"What's there to know?" I asked. "So she's a gargoyle at night and a human during the day."

"Aye," she said, "Baht the genetic cood dohsn't mahtch. Thir cohmplehtleh defferent frohm ech othar. Excipt far two thengs."

"What's that?"

"Har eye colar," she said, "And a strenge cood Ah hahven't ben able ta fegure oot. Eht bahffles meh. They're two intirely siperate sits ohf DNA, boht sohmhoow they're able ta exest ehn tha sem parson. Thir's noo lohjecal explaneshun far eht."

"They could've used sorcery," I suggested.

"Aye, lad, thaht moch ehs obvehus," she said, "Baht whot livel ohf sarcereh dos eht tek ta mehk one parson weth two defferent sits of DNA?"

"Well, I don't know," I said with a shrug.

I looked up to one of the cabinets and noticed a flat wooden box ontop of it.

"What's that up there?" I asked, pointing to the box.

She looked up to where I was pointing. She adjusted her glasses and squinted.

"Hmm," she said and got up from her chair to grab the box from ontop of the cabinet. "Ah wondared whir thes wint."

"What is it?" I asked.

"Eht's mah oold chiss sit," she said as she kneeled down in front of me and showed it to me, an old wooden box that had a checkerboard pattern carved out of it. She opened it to show the wooden chess pieces inside. They looked worn out and dusty.

"Woah," I said, "It looks like it's a hundred years old."

She laughed when I said that.

"Ohlmoost, lad," she chuckled. "Ah mehd thes whin Ah wos johst a lass, noht moch oldar thahn you. Carved eht oot ohf part ohf a treh ma fahther coht doon."

"You made stuff like this at my age?" I asked.

"Aye, lad," she said and closed the box. "Boht thaht wos a lohng time ago."

"Think we can play it sometime?" I asked.

"Ya knoo tha gehm, lad?" she asked.

"I used to play it with Master Howl every night," I said, "He said that a good wizard has to exercise his mind, and that one of the best ways to do that is to play chess."

"Ah see," she said as she got back up and put the box back ontop of the cabinet. "Ah'd tehk ye ehn a gehm, but tha pesses are oold ahnd ye can hardleh till tha defference betwin tha two sides anehmoore. Ahnd thes ehs the oonleh sit Ah hahve."

"I can fix it," I said, "I can use a color change charm to make the pieces black and white."

"Will than," she said with a smile, "Ah'll seh aboot gitten a gehm tagithar far us one ohf thes nights."

"Alright," I replied.

Then the door slammed open and the Inspector jumped in through it.

"I hafta go to Volgograd!" he yelled.

"Ya mehn Vohlgograhd Prime?" Mac replied. "Tha cahpetal setteh?"

"Yeah, that's the one," he answered, "That's where I have to go! And I hafta get there A.S.A.P."

"Hey, isn't one of the X's on the map on that city?" I asked, talking about the map showing the stops of the Crimson Pig Express.

"Aye, thaht's one ohf tha stohps ohn the Ixpriss," Mac answered and went over to her computer.

"Ah'll seh ehf Jehk ehs readeh foor gists yit," she said as she typed in some stuff on the computer.

"Jeck?" I repeated.

"No, Jehk," she said as she hit a last button on the computer.

It beeped for a few seconds before the screen blinked and showed a human guy wearing a stereotypical Australian outfit, including the hat with the side flap folded straight up. He had light skin, light brown hair, and green eyes.

"Evenin', Mac," he greeted with an Australian accent.

"Good ehvnin', Jehk," Mac greeted back.

"What ken I do ya for, luv?" he asked.

"Ah'll beh sindin sohmone yoor weh," Mac answered. "Ah wos wohndarin ehf yar readeh far eht."

"Luv, Oi've sent threy out the country just this weyk," he said, "Who's comin'?"

The Inspector walked up so the guy could see him. He then saluted to him.

"Inspector Koichi Zenigata of Interpol," the Inspector said, "I'm doing an investigation on this country and I'm planning on walking out of here with solid evidence of this country's activities."

"I wish ya luck, mate," he said and saluted back, "Jake Irwin at your service. I work at the Capital Building, so I'll definitely be able to help ya there."

"How'd ya mahnage ta git a johb ehn tha Cahpetal Beldin?" Mac asked.

"Tourism, luv," he answered, "I'm one o' the tour guides on the bottom floors."

"Well, that's convenient," said the Inspector with a grin.

"Hahve ye hird frohm Bianca ahnd Bernard yit, Jihk?" Mac asked.

"Of course, luv," he answered, "They sent me the threy I sent outta here."

"Thaht's good," she replied. "Ah'll sind him oovar tamorrow."

"Tomorrow?!" the Inspector blurted, "Hell no! I'm leavin' tonight!"

"Ya hahve ta go through Sooth Rohck AND Aiuto ta git ta Vohlgograhd Prime," Mac pointed out. "Ehts a threh night jarney frohm here. Ya nehd ta rist farst."

"What the hell are you talking about?" he asked, "I've been sitting on that couch for three straight weeks. I've rested enough."

"Aye, Enspictar," she replied, "Boht Ah'd suggist ristin ta prepeer yersilf far tha jarney ahid. Parhaps slehpin a whole deh."

"Hmm," he replied.

"As much as I'd love ta chat s'more, luv," Jake said, "I've got things ta do and a tour to get ready for tamorra."

He looked over to the Inspector.

"I guess Ah'll see ya when I see ya, mate," he said.

"You betcha," the Inspector replied with a thumbs up. "Crikey, mate!"

Jake just raised an eyebrow at him.

"Roight," he said, "Catch ya later, Mac."

"Aye, Jehk," she said, "Tell nixt time."

He tipped his hat and the screen slipped back to the DNA numbers.

"Ya know," the Inspector said, "I think I'll take your advice and sleep today. Even though I've been sittin' on my butt for three weeks, I've been doing work. It'll be good to get some real rest. Maybe I'll check out that nightclub everyone's talkin' about before I go."

"Whotivar warks for ye," Mac replied. "Ah wesh ya lohck, Enspictar."

"Thanks," the Inspactor said as he turned around and left. "Later."

"Was it just me," I said after he was gone, "Or did he actually understand you just now?"

"Aye, Ah nootessed thaht ahs will," she replied, "Parhahp heh's gotten used ta hearin meh."

"Or it could be because you haven't had anything to drink all night," I said.

"Ye thenk so, lad?" she asked, raising a brow at me, which made her glasses move.

"Alcohol makes people talk funny," I said, "Even people that already talk funny."

"Ma accint's noht thaht bahd, ehs eht?" she chuckled.

I stared at her, blinking for a while and then nodded. She just shook her head and turned back to her computer to stare at the numbers.

"Grown-ups are weird," I thought to myself and walked out of the lab.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Boober)

It was Belldandy's turn on stage. My nerves were growing restless with every passing second because I knew I was next. And what's worse, I was last. All of the applicants so far had failed. This made me feel uneasy. Their standards were set quite high, and I had no idea how rusty I might have gotten over the years.

"Now den, my deah," Rafiki said to Belldandy as she finished getting ready, "Give us your name and your song."

"Yes," she said with a bow, "My name is Belldandy, and my song is titled 'At the End of a Song'."

Rafiki nodded and signaled Luna. She started playing a soft slow tune on the piano, and after a few bars, Belldandy began to sing.

"They tell me," she sang, "Somewhere this life isn't crazy. But I've traveled the world far and wide, and I say their wrong."

Her voice was so beautiful. Soft and smooth, almost angelic, and her pitch was absolutely perfect. It was like she had the voice of a goddess.

"Well, at least one of us is getting the job," I thought.

"How do you know you won't get it, too?" Sidebottom asked me.

"Her singing is so perfect," I replied in thought, "It's so painfully obvious that she'll be picked."

"That's not what I asked you," he said.

"I haven't sung a single note in years," I thought, "Not since--"

"Don't think about that," he interrupted. "You came here for a reason. If you didn't actually want to come here, I know you wouldn't be here. Just relax. If you don't get the job, you don't lose anything. You're risking your life just by being here, and if you get this job, you'd be risking your life on a regular basis."

"I know that," I replied.

"I know you know that," he said, "Just remember why you're here."

"And why's that?" I thought to him.

"Because you want to be," he said.

I smiled at that and looked back up at Belldandy, who was still singing her song.

"At the end of the song," she sang, "There's no one. After the last note is played, only the memory stays, and even that fades away. And there is nothing so hard as convincing your heart, that you should start singing again."

She then turned and looked right at me. I smiled at her, and she smiled back. The song was over and the piano stopped playing. Rafiki got up from his chair and started applauding.

"Dat was beautiful," he said, "Absolutely beautiful."

"Thank you very much," she said and bowed again. "I hope you enjoyed it."

"Oh yes, very much," he said, "Your name is Belldahndy, yes?"

"Yes, sir," she nodded, "Belldandy."

"Would you be able to come in tomorrow night?"

Her eyes lit up and nodded immediately.

"Oh yes, sir," she said, "Yes I can. Thank you so very much."

"You don't have to call me 'sir'," he said, "Rafiki is fine wit' me."

"Yes, Rafiki," she said and bowed again, "Thank you again."

"No, Belldandy, t'ank you," he said and waved.

She bowed again and then turned to leave, but then came down to where I was.

"Good luck, Boober," she said. "I know we'll meet again soon."

"Thank you," I said, "And congratulations."

"Thanks," she said and walked away, "Good-bye."

After she was gone, Rafiki then turned to me.

"I believe now it is your turn, my friend," he said to me and pointed his hand towards the stage.

I took a big gulp as all of my adrenaline pumped out at once. I slowly stepped up to the stage and over to the piano, where all the other songless applicants had gone. The girl at the piano, Luna, handed me a couple of sheets of paper with song titles listed on them. I skimmed through them to find one I thought would suit me. I looked down and happened to glance at a title that looked familiar.

"Save Me, by Fraggle Rock?" I read in thought, "I thought this song was never released."

"Is somet'ing wrong?" Rafiki asked from his chair.

"Uh, no, nothing," I answered, "Nothing at all."

I turned back to Luna and told her the song. She nodded and prepared to play. I walked up to the microphone.

"Take a deep breath, my friend," Rafiki said. "Dis isan't an execution."

"No, but it could lead to one," I thought as I took a deep long breath.

"Now introduce yourself," he said.

"My name is Boober," I said, "And I will sing 'Save Me'."

"Your doing fine, Boobah," he said, "Now sing us your song."

"Heheh, he just called you Boobah," Sidebottom laughed.

"Very funny," I groaned to him in thought.

I took another breath as Luna started playing the piano, I knew the intro was short so I had to be ready.

"It sta--" I began to sing, but it came out cracked. I immediately started coughing. The piano music stopped.

"What was dat?!" Rafiki said and busted up laughing.

"I knew this wasn't a good idea," I thought.

"I'm sorry," I thought and started turning to leave.

"No no no no, not so fahst, my friend" Rafiki said as he suddenly stopped laughing, "You get anodah try."

I stopped and slowly turned back to the microphone. I looked down at him from my place on the stage, and he just grinned at me.

"Try it again," he said with a nod and a smile.

I nodded, and Rafiki signaled to start again. This time I cleared my throat before taking in another breath as Luna began playing again.

"It started off so well," I sang, and this time it was clear and smooth, "They said we made a perfect pair. I clothed myself with your glory and your love. How I loved you. How I cried..."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Inspector Zenigata)

I couldn't begin to describe the kind of joy I was feeling. The kind of emotion that made me glad to be a cop. Finally, after three weeks of endless hours in front of the TV, I finally had something useful.

I was folding up the bed back into the couch, since I knew I wouldn't be using it anymore. It just seemed like the right thing to do. I'd already folded up the bed sheets I'd been using and neatly stacked them on the coffee table I'd soon be moving back to its spot in front of the couch. I'd just finished putting the bed down and started putting the sofa cushions back on when I heard the TV open up behind me. I looked back to see who it was, and it was Jigen.

"I heard you're leaving," he said.

"Yup," I replied and put the last cushion back on, "Tomorrow night. And I'm takin' a full-days stone sleep before trekking to the capital city."

"Hmm," he replied and stuff his talons in his pants pockets.

He just stood there watching as I carefully moved the coffee table over in front of the couch. I sat down on the couch after I was done moving it and looked back up at Jigen.

"What?" I asked him.

"This is gonna sound absurd," he said.

"Well, what?" I repeated.

He looked down for a moment and then looked back up at me.

"I was wondering if I could borrow yer badge for the day."

"What?!" I yelled, "Hell no! That's preposterous! Why the hell would I wanna let you borrow my badge?!"

"Well you won't be using it," he said with a shrug.

"That's beside the point," I said, "Only certified personnel can carry one of these badges, and you definitely ain't it."

"Yeah, I didn't think so," He said and turned back to the TV.

"Whyddaya want it?" I asked out of curiosity as he was halfway through the door.

He stopped and looked back at me. He stared at me for a long and awkward moment.

"Just want to know what it'd be like to spend a day with her," he finally answered. "See what she's like as a human. But it's not that important."

"She's exactly the same," I said, "The body changes, but not the person."

"That's why it's not that important," he said as he turned to leave.

"You've really changed," I said to him.

He stopped again and turned back to me.

"How's that?" he asked.

"Five weeks ago, you wouldn't have even thought about doin' somethin' like this. Even walking up and just talking to me."

His lips curled into a smile when I said that.

"Five weeks ago, I wasn't in love," he said, "And you would've arrested me right on the spot."

"Heh, that's true," I chuckled, but then went serious again. "And you know if I ever see you again after this is over, it'll go back to that. Just because you've turned over a new leaf doesn't change all the crimes you've already committed."

"I know that," he said and looked away, "And I know I probably won't be able to stay with her for very long because of that, but while I'm still able, I'd like to spend as much time as I can with her."

I took a long hard look at him, trying to find any sign of deception in anything he said, but I found none. As far as I could tell, he genuinely just wanted to spend time with Gold. I got up off the couch and walked over to him, reaching into the inner pocket of my jacket as I went. I pulled out my ICPO badge and held it out for him.

"Here," I said. "Be sure to give it back to me."

He looked down at the badge and then looked up at me.

"You're serious?" he asked.

"Just take it before I change my mind," I said.

He slowly took the badge from my talon and stuffed it into his inner jacket pocket. He looked back up at me and gave me half a smile.

"Thanks, Pops," he said.

"Just be glad I'm such a nice guy," I said as I went back and sat down on the couch. "Now beat it."

He disappeared behind the TV, and shut it behind him, leaving me alone on the couch.

"Why did I just do that?" I asked myself as I picked up the remote and turned the TV on. "Only police officers are allowed to even touch those badges, and here I am givin' it to Lupin's former right-hand man. Granted it's only for the day."

I flipped through the channels to find something interesting to watch. I quickly got bored of that and shut the thing off. I leaned back on the couch and rested my head and elbows ontop of the backrest.

"Maybe I'm goin' soft in my old age," I said to myself and stared at the ceiling for a while.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Boober)

"...and I'm far from home," I sang and finished the song.

I breathed a sigh, relieved that I'd gotten it done and over with. I looked up to Rafiki, who just sat there on his chair, smiling at me. I stood there waiting for him to say something. For a long and awkward moment, he said nothing. He just smiled at me.

"W-What?" I stuttered, uncomfortable with the silent smile.

"Dat's it," he said softly.

"What's it?" I asked.

"Dat is what I was looking for," he said, "You have an excellent voice, Boobah, and your passion when you use it is onmistakable."

"So that means...?" I started but trailed off.

"You got deh job," he said, "You t'ink you can come in tomorrow night at nine?"

"Uh, yes," I answered as my eyes widened and my jaw dropped. "Yes, definitely."

"I will see you den," he said and got up from his chair. "Dat's a wrap, Luna."

"Alright!" she called back and got up from the piano.

She walked over to me as Rafiki walked out of the room.

"Congratulations," she said to me.

"Thank you," I replied, "I guess that means we're co-workers now."

"Yes it does," she said, "I was beginning to lose hope when all the applicants weren't making the cut. But I guess the best was saved for last."

"Well, I'm not really that good," I chuckled in embarrassment, "Belldandy was a lot better than I was."

"Oh don't be so modest," she said, "You were wonderful. Such control and professionalism. Have you done this before?"

"I almost did," I said, remembering back, "It was a long time ago, though."

"I could tell you used to be a musician just by watching you. What made you decide to get back to it?"

"Things got complicated at home," I said, "I just had to get out of the apartment, and I ended up coming here."

"Well, I'm glad you did," she said, "We've been needing a good male voice for the longest time."

"Longest time?" I repeated in confusion, "Didn't this place just open?"

"Well, here it did," she answered, "We used to be in the city of Blue Star, but Rafiki decided close up to move the club over here."

"And you came here with him," I added.

"Of course," she said, "I love my job here. So if it means keeping my job, I'll follow Rafiki wherever he goes."

"Well, I hope I can come to like it just as much," I said.

"Oh, I just know you'll love it here," she said, "Say, how do you feel towards gargoyles?"

"What?" I replied, being knocked off guard by the sudden change of topic.

"Gargoyles," she said, "What are your feelings towards them?"

I chuckled a little, struggling not to bust up laughing.

"Well," I said, "I don't hate them, if that's what you're asking."

"Good," she said, "Because if there's anything Rafiki hates, it's hate. The whole purpose of this nightclub is to promote love. He won't tolerate any form of hate anywhere in the vicinity, from the employees or the customers."

"Well, you won't have to worry about that from me," I said.

"That's good," she said and then started walking off the stage to the door on the other side of the room from where I came in. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Yeah," I said, "See you tomorrow."

She disappeared through the door, and I was left alone on the stage. I stood there thinking back to what just happened.

"Did that really happen?" I thought.

"Yes, it did," Sidebottom replied, "Wasn't it great?"

"Yes, it was," I answered with a smile, "I never thought I'd end up doing this sort of thing again. I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed it."

"That's what happens when you lock yourself up," he said, "You forget things."

"Are you going to be alright now?" I asked.

"Boober, as long you're happy," he replied, "I'll be fine."

I smiled and looked down at my watch. I quickly noticed that since the audition started, four and a half hours had passed.

"Ah! I have to get back!" I shrieked and dashed for the door.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Gold Demona)

We were sitting in the dining room. Silverbolt at the one end of the table, Jigen in the chair next to me on one side, and Red and Vaala sitting on the other side.

"So let me see if I have this straight," I said. "This Sidebottom guy is an alternate personality of Boober's that just pops up every once in a while?"

"He doesn't 'just' pop up," Jigen replied, "He pops up every several years if we're lucky. He appears more often when Boober's under a lot of stress."

"Last time it happened," Red said, "Was some time after Jigen left the clan."

"Is that the reason you're so mad at Jigen?" Vaala asked.

"Not really," she said, "That's only a small part of it."

"For crying out loud, Red!" Jigen said, "Just spit it out! You're pissed at me because Boober couldn't handle me leaving and left the band."

We all turned to Jigen.

"What do you mean he left the band?" I asked.

"Exactly what I said," he answered, "After I left the clan, Boober left the band."

"He was part of the band?" I asked.

"He wasn't just part of the band," Red said through her teeth, "He was our lead singer."

My eyes widened and my jaw dropped.

"When the hell was that?" Vaala asked. "I remember back to your first album, but I don't remember ever seeing him in it."

"That's because he left in the middle of recording our first album," she answered. "We only managed to get a couple of songs recorded with him, and we ended up having to drop them after he left. We'd already paid the money to get the album released, so we had to give them something. We did what we could without him and we've managed to get by since then."

"Like I said before," Jigen said, "It didn't stop you from getting famous."

"Shut up!" Red snapped, "We were a hell of a lot better when he sang with us. His singing voice was the envy of both clans. If we managed to get this popular without him, imagine the level of stardom we could've reached WITH him. We could've been like gods."

"Is that really the whole reason?" Silverbolt asked, brow ridge raised, "That you were not able to reach godlike status in the world of music?"

"Of course it is," she said.

"That seems rather selfish," Silverbolt said.

"Hey, it's none of your business," she said. "I didn't even want to talk about it, but Jigen just HAD to bring it up."

"Well, it's not like it wouldn't have come out sooner or later anyway," Jigen added. "So what difference does it make?"

"You know what?" Red growled and got up from her chair, "Screw you."

"No thanks," Jigen said.

"You are such an ass!" she yelled, "Singing was the one thing that really made him happy! And because of you he walked away from it, and he won't be going back!"

"It's not the only thing," he replied, "It sounds to me like fame's not the only thing you're concerned about here."

She didn't say anything after that. She just stood there giving Jigen a really nasty look. After about a minute, she turned around and stormed out.

"It seems her reasons are not as selfish as she would have us believe," Silverbolt said after she was gone.

"I wouldn't think Boober would have any kind of a singing voice," Vaala said, "Not with that god-awful speaking voice of his."

"How is it that you guys don't sound alike?" I asked Jigen. "I know you don't look alike because Boober dyes his hair and shaves his beard off, but what makes your voices different?"

"Well for one thing," he answered, "Boober tends to talk through his nose, and I don't. And for another, he's never touched a cigarette in his life. I've been smoking since I was thirty."

"That's a rather young age for a gargoyle to pick up such a habit," Silverbolt said.

"I did a lot of things I'm not proud of," he said.

"Well, then I guess it's safe to say you don't have the same singing voice," Vaala said.

"Hell no," he said, "I couldn't carry a tune in a bucket. Just because we're twins doesn't mean we have the same talents. I can bet you money he couldn't hit the broad side of a barn if you handed him a gun."

"I never thought identical twins could be so different," Vaala said, "It's weird."

"Boober tries his hardest to be as different as possible," Jigen said and got up from his chair, "He can't stand us being alike."

"Where are you going?" I asked and grabbed his jacket sleeve.

"I need a smoke," he said and scooted his way around me and around the table, pulling away from the loose grip I had on his sleeve.

"How long?" I asked.

"Long as possible," he said.

"It's after four," I pointed out and then looked at my watch. "Closing in on five."

"I know," he said and disappeared through the door into the hall.

I got up from my chair.

"Gonna follow him out?" Vaala asked.

"Yup," I answered as I walked around the table and out the door.

I walked down the hall and met Boober walking in from the living room.

"Geez, you just got back?" I asked, "How'd you manage that?"

"Oh, I've been back for a few hours now," he answered, "I was just watching some TV with the Inspector."

"I was gonna say," I replied, "You've been out since before eight, and your cloaker would've only lasted you till just before one in the morning. Where'd you go?"

"Out," he said, "Here and there."

"That's cool," I said, "How are you feeling?"

"I feel pretty good right now," he said with a smile. "For the first time in a long time, I finally feel like I'm heading in the right direction."

"Well, that's good," I said. "Walking around outside is doing you some good I guess."

"I think it is," he said.

"That's good to know," I replied, "You really had us worried."

"I know," he said and looked away, "I could see it on all of you. I'm sorry."

"Hey, as long as your doing something about it," I said.

"I am," he said and looked back up at me. "Don't worry about that."

"Alright," I said and walked around him. "See you later."

"Later," he replied as I stepped through the door to the living room, where the Inspector was sitting on the couch, which was now folded back up into a couch.

"What's this?" I asked, pointing to the couch.

"You didn't hear?" he replied, "I'm leaving for Volgograd Prime tomorrow. Gonna get me a good day's sleep in the statue room. Don't need the bed for that."

"You're going to the capital?" I asked. "Isn't that kind of risky?"

"Of course it is," he said, "But sometimes you gotta take some risk to get what you need to get the job done."

"So you finally got something from sitting on your ass for three weeks?"

"Heh, you could say that," he chuckled. "Right now I'm just killing time until sunrise. If you're looking for Jigen--"

"I know where he is," I said and went into my room.

I grabbed my jacket and put it on. I walked back out of my room and out of the apartment to the roof. As expected, Jigen was standing out at the edge, looking to the sea as he smoked. I walked up next to him.

"I thought you didn't like the smell of cigarette smoke," he said.

"That's why I'm standing upwind of it," I answered.

"Of course," he chuckled as he put his arm around my shoulder and pulled me closer. I put my arm around his back and did the same.

"Don't you ever think of quitting?" I asked.

"Sure I have," he said, "It's just not that easy."

"I don't see how," I said.

"That's because you're clean," he said and blew a puff of smoke, facing away from me, "You don't have any habits like this, so of course it seems like the easiest thing in the world to you. It's not like quitting a job where you can just walk out and never come back."

"Hmm," I replied and leaned my head on his chest, and then he immediately pulled away.

"Ah," he said as he started rubbing his neck.

"What happened?" I asked.

"Oh, it's nothing," he said and put his arm back on me.

After thinking about it for like a second, I figured it out.

"I just jabbed you in the neck with my horn, didn't I?" I asked and looked up at him.

"Yeah," he replied, "You did."

I looked away from him and out to the sea, letting out a loud sigh.

"It's fine," he said and held me closer. "Don't worry about it."

I didn't say anything. I just kept looking at the sea. So dark and beautiful with the moon reflecting on it. I tightened my hold on Jigen as he inhaled another puff from his cigarette. He turned his head away and blew a big cloud of smoke out.

"What is it?" he asked.

"It's nothing," I said.

"No it's not," he said, "You're being too quiet. What is it?"

"It's just," I started and then paused, "I wish..."

"What?" he asked. "You wish what?"

I took a deep breath and let out a sigh.

"I wish I wasn't such a freak," I said.

"What?" he replied and looked down to me. "What are you talking about?"

"If my horns were pointed the right way I wouldn't have jabbed you in the neck."

"I told you, it's fine," he said and threw his cigarette away, "Don't worry about it. It doesn't even hurt anymore."

"It's not just that," I said, "Everything about me just isn't normal. I know that's what you thought when you first saw me. I wouldn't blame you. The only time I can pass of as normal is when I'm human, and even then my eye color isn't normal. It stays this bright red color. Well, you can see that. Just look at my cloak."

He turned himself and turned me so we were facing each other. He put his talon under my chin and pushed it up with the knuckle of his claw.

"Listen to me, Gold," he said, "You are not a freak. You may disagree with me, but I think you're beautiful."

I could feel tears start to well up in my eyes.

"No," I said, "You're only saying that."

"I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it," he said and smiled at me.

I could help but smile back as the tears started flowing down my face. I could feel his claw pushing my chin further up as he brought his beak to my lips. He gave me a quick kiss and slowly pulled back. He put his talon behind my head and pulled me close to him.

"I love you," he said.

"I love you too," I sobbed, my tears running into his shirt.

I looked at the sky and noticed that it wasn't as dark as it was a few minutes ago. I looked away from the sea and saw that the sky there was lighter than the rest of the sky.

"The sun's going up," I said and started walking to the door, but before I could get anywhere, he pulled me back and hugged me. "Jigen, what are you doing? We have to get inside!"

"Not today," he said and held me closer.

"Look, I'm not planning on spending the day trapped in you arms," I said, "Especially not out here, where you'll be a sitting duck."

"Don't worry," he said. "That's not happening."

"Not if we get inside before it's too late," I said and then felt my insides start to turn. "Oh no."

I pulled myself closer to him, bracing myself for all the changes. When it was finally over, I noticed that Jigen was still soft and warm.

"Are you done?" he asked.

I looked up at him in amazement.

"What?" I gasped, "How--?"

"This is how," he said as he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out the Inspector's badge. "Pops let me borrow it for the day, since he wouldn't be using it."

"How'd you manage that?" I asked, eyebrow raised.

"Not sure myself," he said and put it back in his jacket pocket, "But I'll have to remember to thank him again when I give it back tonight."

"So you didn't..."

"Steal it?" he finished my question for me and then chuckled, "I'm not stupid enough to try and steal something like this from Pops. Lupin maybe, but not me. I just asked for it and he gave it to me. I have to say it was the most awkward moment I've ever had with that guy, a thief's gunman asking a cop for his badge. It sounds ridiculous now that I think about it."

I stared at him for a good long moment. He just smiled at me.

"But..." I said and paused, "Why?"

He replied by kissing me again, this time longer so I was able to taste the cigarette he was just smoking. It made me want to pull away, but at the same time I didn't want it to stop. After about a minute, he pulled away and smiled again.

"I did this to be with you," he said, "As much as I can."


	13. Chapter 12: A Day In The Sun

Gold Demona

**Chapter XII**

A Day In The Sun

(Jigen)

(That afternoon...) (September 30, 2110 A.D.)

I couldn't begin to describe how happy I was that I was able to be with her during the day. We were sitting in the living room, watching TV. My cloaker was charging, though it didn't have to stay there very long because we weren't out on the roof for very long. We were killing time, waiting for it to finish charging so we could go out for lunch with minimal worries.

We sat on the couch. I was leaned back on the backrest with one arm stretched ontop of the back rest and the other arm around Gold, who sat slightly crooked so she was leaning back against me, and her head rested on my shoulder. I could bet she was glad she didn't have any horns to jab me in the neck with this time. I knew I was. She had one arm on my leg and the other on my arm that I had wrapped around her.

"I still can't believe he let you borrow that thing," Vaala said as she walked into the living room with a big bowl of popcorn in her hand. "He always seemed like the kind of cop that's strictly to the book."

"Not always," I replied, "He'll do his own thing and ignore protocol if it means getting closer to catching Lupin. You'd be amazed at the lengths he'll go."

"It must be exhausting to always be on the run," Gold said.

Vaala sat down on the couch next to us and set the bowl of popcorn on the coffee table in front of us.

"It can be," I said, "But we usually manage to get away, so it's not a big deal."

"Not that you'll be running much from him anymore," Vaala pointed out.

"Yeah," I replied.

"We now return to Invasion Of The Fantanas: The Movie!" the TV announced.

"We must spread to every nation, all of Fanta's cool sensations!" sang the girls on the TV, wearing their tiny outfits of various bright colors. "Wanta Fanta! Dontcha wanta!"

"What the hell?" Vaala said and clicked the remote to chang the channel. "What's the world coming to when they're making movies out of commercials?"

"Seriously," Gold replied.

Then I heard a beeping from my cloaker, which meant that it was done charging.

"Finally," Gold said and got up from the couch.

I got up after her and followed as she walked away from the couch and into her bedroom. She grabbed her jacket from ontop of her bed and put it on.

"A little impatient, are we?" I said as I watched her walk past me towards the door. I grabbed her before she could get away.

"Hey, what's your hurry?" I asked.

She bounced back at me and looked up to me.

"We've wasted the whole day here," she said.

"Not the whole day," I said, "There's still a few hours before sunset. We can spend the rest of the day out there. We'll do lunch, walk around the city, and then we'll go up to the roof to watch the sunset."

She gave me a smile, and her eyes glittered.

"How does that sound?" I asked.

"That sounds good," she nodded.

"Well, then let's go," I said and started for the door.

"And what's YOUR hurry?" she asked.

"I'm hungry," I answered and smiled at her.

She smiled back and followed me out.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Gold Demona)

We walked out of the elevator and out to the street. Almost as soon as we were outside, Jigen stopped where he was.

"Ah!" he yelled and brought his talon up over his eyes. "Son of a bitch, that thing's bright!"

"Why do you think sunglasses were invented?" I asked and pulled a pair out and handed it to him.

"Thanks," he said and put them on. "Didn't expect it to be that frickin' bright."

"Are you okay now?" I asked.

"Yeah," he said, "Let's keep going."

We started our walk down the street.

"Geez, even if you're not looking anywhere near it, it's too frickin' bright. It's no wonder people in daytime pictures are always squinting."

"Well, you're not supposed to look right at it," I said.

"I know that," he said and lowered his hat, "I'm not that dense."

"Well be glad it's not high noon," I said, "It's a lot brighter out then."

"How can people see out here?" he asked, "Hell, how does Pops do this? I got these sunglasses AND my hat shading my eyes, and I'm still squinting."

"You're just not used to the light," I pointed out, "Give it some time. Once the sun's lower down in the sky, it won't be so bad."

"Hmm," he replied.

There was a long silence after that. It wasn't an awkward silence, though. We'd simply run out of things to say. I took his arm in mine and held it close as we walked. He used that arm to pull me closer.

"Have you always called him Pops?"

"Hmm?" he replied.

"The Inspector," I clarified, "Have you always called him that?"

"Long as I've known him," he answered, "Lupin gave him that nickname. I only call him that because that's what Lupin always called him. "

"He must've been chasing you guys a long time for you to be on such familiar terms with him," I said.

"Several years," he said, "About as long as I've been working for Lupin."

"What's the closest he'd ever gotten to catching Lupin?" I asked.

"Close enough to get him jailed and sentenced to death," he answered.

"Well, he obviously escaped that fate," I said.

"Oh yeah," he said, "There isn't a prison on this planet that could keep him locked up. He was put in a high-security prison after the sentence was announced, and just to be an ass he waited until right before the day of his execution to break out."

"Cocky bastard, isn't he?" I asked.

"You have no idea," he said, "Although I'd be cocky too if I was as good as he was. One time we busted into the National Reserve Bank in New York."

"I take it you went after the gold bars in the vault?"

"We took the gold bars alright." he said, "Lupin stuffed them all into a balloon, flew it over the city, and drop-chuted them all over the city."

"Well, that doesn't make any sense," I said, "If you went to steal the gold, why just throw it away?"

"To serve as a distraction," he said with a grin, "To get everybody looking away from the vault just long enough for us to go in and grab the priceless artifact that was being kept there. He even put a Lupin dummy on the balloon so the cops would think he was getting away on it."

"Geez, no wonder the Inspector's so determined to catch him," I said.

"Yeah, Lupin goes out of his way to make himself a pain in everyone's ass," he said, "Especially Old Man Zenigata's."

There was a long silence after that. We were getting close to our destination, so I didn't bother trying to start another conversation.

"So where are we going?" he asked.

"Just a little Mexican fast food place I know about," I answered, "I can't really afford much better than that, what with all the mouths to feed at home."

"That's fine," he said, "Mexican, huh?"

"Well, kind of," I said, "It's tex-mex food, actually. Kinda like Taco Bell. They make it really good at this place. Do you like tex-mex?"

"It's not really my first choice," he said, "But I've had plenty worse."

"If you don't like it, we can go somewhere else."

"Look, if that's where you want to eat, we'll eat there," he said, "Like I said, I've had worse."

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"Don't worry about it," he said and smiled at me, "As long as I get to spend the time with you, I don't entirely care where we eat."

I smiled back as we reached the small Mexican fast food joint. The building of the place was a small building with a big roof that looked like a Mexican sombrero. The sign for the place was in the shape of a taco. We entered the building and started walking to the counter.

It wasn't very busy, only a couple of other people besides us eating there. It was a typical fast food restaurant, with the counter and the registers on the one side with the busy kitchen behind it, and several tables and booths on the other side. Of course everything was designed around the Mexican theme, so there were sombreros, cacti, triangles and zigzags.

We walked up to the counter where the registers were. When we got there, there wasn't anyone there to take our order, only a big ugly pink hairless rat sitting ontop of the cash register, wearing a small Mexican sombrero and a nametag that read 'Rufus'. When we walked up, it stood up on its hind legs and waved its little pink paw at us.

"Hi!" It greeted and then made some rodent-like chattering noises.

I could only stare at this ugly little creature, blinking at it.

"Did that thing just talk?" Jigen asked.

"Woah! Sorry about that!" yelled a young guy as he ran up to the register. "Rufus! What'd I tell you about greeting the customers?"

"Ngh, sorry," the rat thing said and turned back to us with a bow, "Welcome."

"There you go. That's more like it," the guy said and held his hand to it. "Gimme some paw, man."

The pink rodent swung his pink paw and slapped the guy's palm. After that they both made fists and the rodent punched the guy's fist. The rodent then climbed up the guys arm and perched on his shoulder, crossing his small pink arms.

This guy was a wiry blonde teenager with pale skin, taxi cab ears, and a face full of freckles.

"You'll have to excuse Rufus," he said, "He's new at this whole 'customer service' thing. He has trouble remembering that not everyone's cool with walking up to a talking naked mole rat wearing a sombrero and a nametag."

"Booyah!" Rufus added raising his paw in the air.

"Uh sure," I said.

"Anyway," he said and cleared his throat, "Welcome to Bueno Nacho, one of six hundred and seventy three locations throughout New Liberty, home of the naco and the chimurito. Ron Stoppable at your service. How can the Ron be of service to you?"

Rufus started clapping his paws together.

"Bravo," Rufus said with his applause.

"Thank you," Ron replied to Rufus and then turned back to us, "What can I get you?"

"Uh," I replied and pointed to the menu on the wall behind him, "I think I'll have the nacos and a medium soda."

"Would you like to Grande Size that order?" Ron asked.

"No, just the regular one, thanks," I answered and then turned to Jigen, "How about you?"

"I think I lost my appetite," he said.

"Aw, man! Don't be like that!" Ron whined and then turned to Rufus, "You see what you did?!"

The small pink rat hung his head in shame.

"Ngh-ngh, sorry," he said.

"Are you sure?" I asked. "Nothing at all?"

"I'll have a large drink," he said, "Maybe I'll take some of your food."

"In that case, go ahead and Grande Size my order," I said.

"Will do," Ron replied as he punched the buttons on the register. "That'll be eight fifty."

I gave him his money and he gave me my food and two drinks.

"Have a bueno day," he said to us as we walked away.

"Buh-bye!" Rufus said afterward.

We took a table and sat down.

"And you thought you were weird," Jigen whispered as soon as we were seated. "Who takes a frickin' rat to work?"

"I didn't think that sort of thing was even legal," I replied and started munching on my nacos. "And how the heck do you go around getting a naked mole rat as a pet?"

"Beats me," he said and started drinking his drink. "I just know as soon as I saw that thing on the counter I suddenly didn't wanna eat anymore. I'm surprised you still wanna eat after all that."

"I have a pretty strong stomach," I said, "It takes a lot to take away my appetite. Besides, once you get past the ugly, Rufus is kind of cute."

"Is that how you found me attractive?" he asked as he pointed to himself and grinned, "Got past all this ugly first?"

I nearly spat naco cheese everywhere from the fit of laughter I got.

"No," I giggled, "You're not ugly."

"Sure I am," he replied, "That's why Boober doesn't wanna look like me. Cuz we're a pair of ugly guys. Maybe I should shave. What do you think?"

"I think you're fine," I answered and ate another naco.

"You must be talking about yourself," he said, "Cuz I know YOU'RE fine."

I blushed when he said that.

"What?" he said, "It's true."

"No it's not," I said and sipped my soda.

"I'll repeat myself now," he said, "I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it."

I smiled at him, and he smiled back at me. I shoved the nacos aside so I could reach his talons. He reached up and held my hands ontop of the table.

"I have to confess that when I first saw you," he said, "I thought to myself that you were the weirdest-looking gargoyle I'd ever seen in my life."

I looked down at our hands, not quite sure how to take that.

"But didn't you just say last night that I wasn't a freak?" I asked.

"You're not," he insisted. "Your weirdness is what makes you attractive. I like the way your horns are pointed. I like your pale yellow skin, your dark pink wings, your bright red eyes."

"Even my pink and blue hair?"

"Especially your pink and blue hair," he said.

"I'm sure you've had MUCH better-looking girlfriends," I said. "Like the dancing girl in Barcelona."

"Who told you about that?" he asked but then frowned, "Wait, never mind. Dammit, Lupin. I swear I'll kill 'im."

"What happened to her?" I asked.

"You're gonna make me talk about my ex?" he asked.

"I'm just curious," I replied.

"It's not a pretty ending," he said.

"Well, what happened?"

"Are you sure?" he asked, "Cuz I can guarantee you won't like it."

"I think I can take it," I said, "What is it?"

"Well, don't say I didn't warn you," he said. "After she and her boss nearly had me and Lupin kill each other, we went back, followed their car up a mountain and ran 'em off the road and over a cliff."

I blinked at him for a minute.

"I told you it wasn't pretty," he said. "That's how it's always been with me and women. I usually wind up on the receiving end of their treachery. Even while I was with them, I could feel my doubts crawling under my infatuation. But this time it's different."

"What's so different this time?" I asked.

"I don't feel that doubt when I'm with you," he said and looked up at me. "I've been feeling this way for you since before I left, but I didn't want to start anything because I was scared. What scared me more than anything was that I didn't have any of the doubts I had with my previous girlfriends. None at all. And it scared the shit out of me, especially after you confessed your feelings for me. So I left so I wouldn't have to deal with it."

"And what made you decide to come back?" I asked.

"Simply put," he said and took a sip from his drink, "I wasn't able to do my job anymore. My emotions and my guilt were getting in the way. That's when I actually realized my feelings for you and that I had to come back."

"Aww..." I heard Rufus's voice say from beside the table. We looked over and saw Ron and Rufus at the table next to ours, swooning at us with a set of extra cheesy nacos in front of them.

"Oh, please, don't let us stop you," Ron said.

"Please," Rufus said.

"How much of that did you hear?" Jigen growled at him.

"From when you started talking about your ex," he answered, "That's not cool what she did to you, man. I totally would've knocked her off a cliff, too."

"Yeah, NGH!" Rufus agreed and did a kick in mid air. "Not cool."

"Kid, you and your rat are about two seconds from being on my bad side," Jigen said to him, "And that's not place you want to be."

"Woah, sorry," Ron replied as he and Rufus both held their hands up. "I just thought you guys made such a totally cool couple. But hey, I'll leave you alone."

"Good," Jigen growled as we watched Ron pick up his nacos and start walking away with Rufus riding his shoulder.

Just as he was getting back to the counter, a teenage girl walked into the place. She had a slender figure, fair skin, and long flowing red hair.

"Hey Ron," she greeted as she walked up.

"Hey KP," Ron greeted back.

"Did you bring Rufus to work," she scoffed, "AGAIN?"

"Well I can't leave 'im alone at home, KP," he replied, "You know how he is. He needs to be out doing stuff."

"Uh-huh, uh-huh," Rufus agreed.

"I can guarantee you'll get more business if you don't bring him here," KP pointed out.

"No kidding," Jigen grumbled to me, low enough that they couldn't hear.

"Wanna take the rest of these nacos out of here?" I asked.

"They're yours," he said, "If you wanna take 'em, let's go."

"Right, let's go," I replied as I finished my drink and picked up my nacos.

We got up and started on our way out.

"Have a nice day," Ron called to us as we got to the door.

"Uh, thanks," I called back as Jigen opened the door and we walked out, "Bye."

"Buh-bye!" Rufus called and waved to us.

"That was really weird," Jigen said as we started walking away.

"Yeah," I said and continued munching on my nacos as we walked. "Are you sure you don't want any?"

"Yeah," he answered. "Pretty sure."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(A little later...)

(Jigen)

We got back to the apartment and Gold went into her room. She wanted to change into her night clothes so we could watch the sunset without having to worry about any torn clothes. While I waited outside her bedroom door, I found myself blinking a lot. For some reason I was having a hard time keeping my eyes open. I rubbed my eyes to see if that would clear the problem.

"You okay?" Vaala asked from the couch, munching on the nacos Gold brought home and handed to her.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I said and blinked a few times, "Just my eyes acting up on me. Maybe it's all the sun I had today."

"Or you could be sleepy," she said. "You haven't slept any in the last twenty-four hours."

"Sleepy, huh?" I replied, "So this is what it feels like. Geez, and you live with this every day? With how little sleep you two get, you must be miserable feeling like this all the time."

"We're used to it," she said.

"What's going on?" Gold asked as she opened her bedroom door and stepped out.

"Jigen's sleepy," Vaala answered.

"Aww," she replied and looked up at me, "Poor sleep-deprived baby."

"Very funny," I replied, "Makes me glad I'm only doing this once."

"It's almost over," Gold said, "After we go watch the sunset, we can come back inside, and you can give the Inspector his badge back and go to sleep."

"Sleep?" I repeated.

"Yeah," Vaala replied, "I can pull the bed out of the couch again and you can sleep the rest of the night."

"Come on," Gold said as she grabbed my arm and started dragging me out. "Let's go up before the sun goes down."

"Right," I replied and let her drag me out.

We went out to the roof and onto the edge to look over the sea, where the sun was going down. It wasn't nearly as bright as it was when we went out in the afternoon. The sun was just touching the horizon, the sea below it shining with its reflection. There were some clouds down where the sun was, and there were beams of light shooting out from behind them.

"That's a lot easier to look at," I said.

"A lot prettier, too," Gold added. "And it helps that those clouds are blocking most of the really bright light so we can look right at it."

"I've seen sunsets before in pictures," I said, "But it's really something to see it yourself."

"Yeah," she replied, "It's kind of something I take for granted. Because I've been able to see it my whole life."

"I wonder if Pops ever takes the time to look at things like this," I wondered out loud and pulled a cigarette and my lighter out of my pocket.

"He probably does," Gold said before noticing what I'd just pulled out. "Again?"

"What, you forgot I smoked?" I asked as I stuck the cigarette in my beak and lit it.

"No," she answered, "But this is a special moment. Couldn't you have waited until after the sun sets?"

"My cloaker won't have enough juice for me to smoke after the sun sets," I pointed out as I stuck my lighter back in my inner jacket pocket. "And I can't smoke inside, so what do you want me to do?"

"You can quit," she replied.

"Easier said than done," I replied back and blew out a puff of smoke. "You smoke for thirty-four years and see how easy it is for you to quit."

"That's a really lousy excuse," she said, "You really should quit."

"What are you, my mom?" I asked, "Just watch the sunset. Or at least let me watch it. I won't get another chance to after today."

"Right," she said and then let out a sigh and leaned her head on my shoulder. "I'll miss being able to do this without poking holes in your neck."

"Heh," I chuckled and put my talon on her shoulder, "We'll find a way around it."

"I hope so," she replied.

The sun was a good way down, and the sky was changing colors. I noticed that the sky furthest away from the sun was starting to get dark, and this dark was moving closer to the horizon where the sun was. After a while, the dark covered half the sky and some stars were starting to pop up. A moment later, Gold pulled herself closer to me and clutched to me. After about a second, I figured out why. I wrapped my arms around her and held her close to me.

"You alright?" I asked.

"Yeah," she answered quickly, still holding onto me.

I could tell she didn't want to talk while this was going on, so I stayed quiet and waited. She trembled in my arms. I couldn't see any of the changes, but I could feel it. I felt her wings growing out of her back. I could feel her small body growing in mass and her hair fluffing up. I was careful to keep her head in such a place where I wouldn't have to worry about her horns. After about a minute of this, she calmed back down and loosened her grip on me.

"You have to go through that every day?" I wondered out loud, "Twice?"

"I'm used to it," she answered. "I've had to go through this my whole life."

"Your whole life?" I repeated. "You were BORN like this?"

"I told you nothing about me was normal," she replied, "It's been like this since the day I hatched, and yes I do mean day."

"So you hatched a human?" I asked.

"Yes," she nodded. "Just another thing about me I can't figure out."

It seemed the more I learned about her, the more she intrigued me. Every answer I got from her led to more questions, but I knew at the moment I didn't have time to ask any of them. So instead I just looked at her, the image of her human self. A thought came to my mind that made me chuckle.

"What?" she retorted, "You think it's funny that I was hatched as a human?"

I smiled at her for a moment.

"You could've been hatched a naked mole rat for all I care," I said, "It doesn't change who you are today. I'll say what I said before. You're beautiful. Nothing's going to change that."

She stared at me for a moment, eyebrows scrunched down in confusion.

"Would you still be saying that if I was a naked mole rat?" she asked.

"Well, probably not," I said, "Cuz I'm not into that whole bestiality thing."

"Hmph, I didn't think so," she chuckled.

We stared at each other for a moment, and then we both busted up laughing.

"Let's go back inside," she said and started walking to the stairs. "Before your cloaker starts beeping."

"Yeah," I replied and followed her down.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(A little later...)

(Gold Demona)

Jigen didn't even wait for the bed to be pulled out before he flopped down on the couch and fell asleep on it, one wing drooped down on the floor, the other slung over the backrest, his tail and one leg slung over one of the couch arms, and his other leg sticking out in front of the arm. His head rested on the other arm, and he had one arm slung over the couch arm beside his head and the other hanging off the couch to the floor. And I almost swore that he could've woken somebody up in Alaska with his snoring.

"Geez, he really was tired," I said.

"What?" Vaala yelled in exaggeration, "I can't hear you over his snoring!"

"Very funny," I replied in normal tone, knowing it was perfectly audible. "He didn't even wait to give the Inspector his badge back."

"Well, then why don't YOU give it to him?" Vaala suggested.

"I'll have to dig into his pockets first," I replied and walked over to the couch. "I think he put it in his inner jacket pocket."

"I'll bet you wish he took it off before crashing on the couch, huh?" Vaala said.

"Yeah," I replied and knelt down beside him, "But I think I can reach it without moving him."

Then there was a knock on the door.

"Everybody's in the penthouse, right?" Vaala asked.

"That I'm aware of, yes," I answered.

"How much power does his cloaker have left?"

"Not a lot."

"Well, turn it on and let's hope it's enough."

I nodded as I reached to one of his dangling arms and turned his cloaker on, following with my own. When both cloaks were on, Vaala took a deep breath and opened the door.

"Yes?" she greeted.

"Hey," greeted the girl at the door. "Is this where Professor Hen is staying?"

"Who?" Vaala asked.

"NGH-ngh! Mac!" squeaked a familiar voice.

"Oh my god, what the hell is that?!" Vaala screamed as she backed away.

"Rufus!" the girl yelled. "I knew I should've left you with Ron!"

"Sorry," the small voice apologized.

"Wait a minute," I said as I got up from beside the couch and walked over to the door to see who it was.

"I thought that voice sounded familiar," I said, "You're the naked mole rat from Bueno Nacho."

"Hi!" he greeted and waved at me.

And then I pointed at the girl.

"And you're the girl who walked in before we left."

"And you're that customer that walked out with that guy in the suit," the girl at.

Then I could hear Jigen's cloaker beeping from the couch.

"Is that a cloaker beeping?" she asked looked at me.

"Uh, what?" I blurted, trying to act stupid and pretend I didn't notice. "What beeping?"

Then the cloaker beeped again.

"That SO is a cloaker beeping," she said and held up her wrist, showing me her watch. "Chill. I got one, too."

"How do we know that's a real one?" Vaala asked.

"Ugh," she groaned and rolled her eyes, "SO the paranoia."

She turned her cloak off, revealing a young female gargoyle possibly in her mid thirties. She had light blue skin and long flowing red hair. She had two short horns sticking back through her hair behind her flowing bangs that defied gravity and somehow didn't fall into her face. She wore a pair of tan cargo pants, dark gray gloves, a utility belt with a satchel hanging off of it, and a black long sleeve turtleneck shirt that was cut off at the top of her belly.

She left the cloak off for less than a couple of seconds and put it back on.

"Now can we cut the drama so I can talk to the Professor?"

The TV opened up, and Mac stepped out from behind it. She looked over to us as she walked out.

"Ah fargoht ta till ya lahst night, lasses," Mac said as she stepped out, "Boht Ah'm expicten sohm one ta come tanight."

"Blue girl? Red hair? Runs around with an ugly pink rat?"

"Hey!" Rufus yelled.

"Sheh's here?" Mac asked and walked over to the door to see her. "Kem! Mah apohlogies, lass. Cohm ehn."

"No big, Professor," the girl said and walked in.

"Mac!" Rufus called from his perch in the girl's belt pouch.

"Rufus, lad," Mac greeted back, "Ah seh yar doin' well."

"Uh-huh, uh-huh," he replied and stuck his thumb up in the air. "A-Okay."

"Ahnd wir's Ronald?" she asked, "Esn't he ohlwehs weth ya?"

"He had to work late tonight," the girl answered.

"Aye, Ah seh," she replied and then turned to Vaala and me, "Vahla, Goold, Ah'd like ta entroduce ya ta Kem Pohsseble, espionage spicialest."

"Kim Possible," the girl corrected and held her hand up to me, "In case you can't read through the accent."

I shook her hand and felt that it was in fact a talon. I felt more at ease after that.

"Gold Demona," I said and let go of her talon.

"Vaala," Vaala said with a wave.

"Espionage?" I repeated, "So you're a spy?"

"Sometimes," she answered, "I still have to graduate high school before I can do this full time."

"Hoow ya find time weth ohl yar ixtra-carricular ahcteveties, Ah'll nivar knoo."

"Yeah, all one of my extracurricular activities," she replied.

"What do you do?" Vaala asked.

"I'm a cheerleader," she said, "Nothing major."

"Thaht's a full time johb ehn ehtsilf, lass," Mac said, "Whot weth ohl tha spoortin events ya hahve ta attind."

"So not an issue," Kim insisted. "I still get everything done."

"Aye, Ah woon't argue thaht."

"So who's cloaker was that beeping a little bit ago?" Kim asked.

"That'll be Jigen's," I answered, pointing to the couch. "We were out a lot today, so his cloaker has no power left."

"The Enspictar lit hem bohrrow hes bahdge?" Mac asked.

"Amazing, isn't it?" Vaala replied.

"I still have to get it off of Jigen and give it back to the Inspector," I added.

"Hey, you two should exercise WAY more caution when you talk in public," Kim said.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"You should be glad that Ron's one of the good guys," she said, "Because he totally heard every word of your conversation, even the parts where he was sweet-talking to you about your gargoyle features."

"Hey!" I protested, "He said he started hearing the conversation after that."

"Yeah, but don't worry. I SO told him off for listening in on you guys," she said, "It was mondo rude of him."

"Thanks," I replied and then looked down at Jigen. His cloak had worn off, so he was a gargoyle again, snoring away on the couch.

"That SO does not look comfortable," Kim commented when she saw Jigen on the couch.

"I don't think he cared," I replied and knelt down next to him again, "Being up all day exhausted him."

"Been there," Kim said, "Takes a while to adjust to it. Bet he's glad he doesn't have to do it anymore."

"He didn't even know he was sleepy until I told him," Vaala pointed out, which made Kim laugh.

"SO the newbie," she said.

I reached into his jacket to find his pocket. After a while I found a solid rectangular mass in the fabric.

"That's it," I thought and moved up to find the top of the pocket.

I found it and reached into it. I found what felt like a box, which I was pretty sure was his cigarettes. I then found something small, rectangular and metal, which I figured was his lighter. And then I found another metal object that was larger, flat and not rectangular.

"Got it," I said and pulled that out of his pocket.

Somehow none of that woke him up. He didn't even move. He just kept on snoring away. I kissed the top of his beak before I got up from beside him and looked down at him, smiling.

"Aw," Kim said, "You two are so adorable."

"I know, right?" Vaala agreed.

I blushed when they said that.

"Weh hahven't time far thes, lasses," Mac said, "The Enspictar well nid hes bahdge retarned to hem."

"Right," I replied as we went down to the penthouse.

As we entered the hallway, Boober shoved his way past us.

"Hey!" I yelled as he shoved me aside. "Boober! What the hell?"

"I'm sorry," he apologized as he finished passing us and turned around. "I'm in a hurry."

"What's the emergency?" Vaala asked.

"I don't have time," he said as he turned his cloaker on and continued on his way out, "I have to go now."

"That was really weird," Vaala said.

"Wonder where he's off to in such a hurry," I wondered out loud.

"Who knows?" Vaala said with a shrug as we continued to the lab.

As I walked in I saw the Inspector hovering over a map of New Liberty that was laid on the table.

"Evening, Inspector," I greeted.

He looked up at me as I finished saying that, blinking as if being awakened from a trance.

"Oh! Hey, Gold," he greeted back and smiled. "How was yer day?"

"It was great," I said and held his badge out to him, "Jigen passed out on the couch before he could give this back."

"Yeah, I figured that would happen," he replied and took his badge back, sticking it into his jacket pocket, "I guess I should've warned him about that. I remember when I first got this badge all the problems I had figuring out when to sleep. Took me over a year to figure out a pattern that worked for me."

"It took you a WHOLE year?" Kim asked from behind me, "It only took me a couple of weeks to get over my sleep problems when I got my badge."

"Who're you?" the Inspector asked, pointing to Kim.

I stepped out of the way as Kim walked up to him and held her talon out for him.

"Kim Possible," she introduced, "And I'm guessing you're Inspector Zenigata."

"Yeah, that's me," he said uneasily and shook her talon and then turned to us. "Okay, so what's goin' on here?"

"I was sent here to escort you to the capital city, Inspector," Kim explained.

"Sent here?" he repeated, "By who?"

"I can't really disclose that," she said. "It's part of my job to keep my clients anonymous."

He glared at her for a moment, brow raised. He looked over to Mac.

"Alright, was it you?" he asked her.

She shook her head.

"Eht wos not I, Enspictar," she answered.

"Well if it wasn't you, then who the hell was it?"

"The identity of my employer SO isn't the issue here, Inspector," Kim interjected. "The only thing that matters is that you safely get to the capital."

"So yer saying I can't be trusted to get there on my own?" he objected, "That they have to send some kid to get me there?"

"FYI, Inspector," Kim retorted, "This KID's saved the world more times than she can count."

"Ngh! Yeah!" Rufus protested from her pouch.

The Inspector looked down at Rufus, wide-eyed and blinking.

"And just what the hell are YOU supposed to be?" The Inspector asked Rufus.

"Hmph, Rufus," Rufus answered, pointing to himself.

"He's a naked mole rat," Kim answered.

"So I am to be escorted to Volgrograd Prime by a kid and her naked pet rat?" he asked, still looking down at Rufus.

"Well technically, he's not mine," Kim pointed out. "But that's SO not the point here."

"No, it's not," the Inspector agreed, "The point here is that I, a perfectly competent adult, apparently need a kid to get me to my destination."

"Look, Inspector," Kim replied, "I'm going with you whether you like it or not, simply because you have a much better chance of getting there alive if you have someone going with you."

"I guess I can't argue with that," he resigned finally, "Forgive me if I come off as rude, but I never had any good experiences with partners, and being sent somebody so young doesn't help me any."

"Well, it's a good thing I'm not here to be your partner, then," Kim replied. "You're still gonna do your little investigation on your own when you get there. I'm just here to make sure you don't get yourself killed between here and there. From what I hear, Inspector, you have SO the record for rushing into things without thinking."

"What?! I do not!" he protested. "I'm calm and logical!"

"Yeah," She replied, "Like how you TOTALLY busted into Castle Cagliostro with a TV news crew to expose them for counterfeiting."

"That was TOTALLY necessary!" he replied, "Dammit, now you got ME talking like that!"

Vaala and I busted up laughing.

"What's so damn funny?!" he yelled to us.

"Nothing," we both giggled in unison.

"I really don't see anything funny about this," he insisted.

"Lighten up, Inspector," Vaala said, "Would it really be the end of the world if she went with you? Seriously."

"No, I guess not," he said, "I guess we should start on our way then."

"Not yet," Kim said, "First I need something from the Professor."

"Ahnd whot's thaht?" Mac asked.

"I need you to make me three more cloakers," she said.

"Tha two ye hahve aren't ehnough?" she asked.

"Sure, for like half a day," she answered, "But I need enough to last me the whole day. If I have five I can use one up for four and a half hours, switch to the next one and have the first one recharge the rest of the day while I use the others. That way if I'm out for longer than half a day I don't risk exposure."

"Aye, ah seh yar point," Mac replied and walked over to her cloaker making machine, "Ah'll git started ohn eht."

"Hey, you think you can make some for me too?" the Inspector added, "That's not a bad idea. Since we're awake the whole day, why not?"

"Yeah, and if you had some extra cloakers, it would make our trip SO much faster," Kim said, "Cuz then we wouldn't have to actually stop anywhere to wait for your cloaker to charge."

"Exactly!" he agreed and turned back to Mac, "So how about it?"

"Ah doon't seh why noht," Mac said as she switched the machine on.

"Awesome," Kim said, "And when she's done with that, we can get on our way."

"Sounds good to me," said the Inspector.


	14. Chapter 13: Almost Home

Gold Demona

**Chapter XIII**

Almost Home

(Boober)

(That night...)(September 30, 2110 A.D.)

I arrived at the nightclub barely at nine o'clock, panting from all the running I did. I had to be careful to resist the urge to run on all fours, as it would draw attention. It was a lot more work to run as fast as I did on two legs, and thus a lot more exhausting. I walked into the club and up to the bar, where Rafiki and Luna were standing behind the counter.

"Boobah," he greeted, "What happened to you? Wah you running dee entire way heah?"

"I had to," I panted, "I would've... been late... if I didn't..."

"Well, in deh future, make sure dat doesn't happen," he said, "I don't want my new singer to weah himself out running to work before he begins his work on deh stage."

"I know," I panted, "I'm sorry. It won't happen again."

"I know it won't," he said with a smile and reached down behind the counter.

He walked up to me holding a glass of water.

"Now, Boobah," he said and gave me the glass of water, "Let us go backstage and get you ready."

"Thank you," I said and started drinking.

He turned back to the bar.

"I can trust you to take care of t'ings here, Luna," he said.

"Of course, Rafiki," she replied and then waved to me. "Hi, Boober."

"Hi, Luna," I replied and began following Rafiki past the bar and through a door in the back.

We entered a long hallway that ran the length of the building, with one end leading to the bar and the other leading up to the stage on the opposite side of the club. There were many doors along this hallway, one of which I noticed was the audition room. Rafiki took me past most of these doors until we arrived at one labeled "Dressing Room".

"Heah we are, Boobah," he said as we stopped in front of the door. "You will change in heah. Aftah you are ready, we can go ovah deh music you will sing on stage."

"Uh, forgive me for asking you this," I started, "But isn't it a little irrational to put me on stage without rehearsing anything?"

"I can assure you dat you will know deh pieces I have intended for you," he chuckled with a big smile and opened the door, "Do not worry, my friend. We will take good care of you."

It made me nervous when he said all that. I hadn't a clue what he meant when he said I'd know the songs he'd picked out for me. I just looked at him, and he just smiled at me. It was a big and friendly smile, and it made me very nervous.

"Deh wardrobe inside has several suits of various sizes," he said to break the silence, "I'm sure you will find one dat fits you."

"Uh, thank you," I replied and walked into the room.

Rafiki shut the door as I walked in, leaving me by myself in a room full of clothing racks, costume parts, and stage props. I looked around and found the wardrobe he mentioned.

"I suddenly feel very uncomfortable about all this," I thought to myself as I walked up to the wardrobe and opened it. "But I guess it's too late to turn back now."

I sifted through the many identical suits in the wardrobe, not sure of what I was expecting to find. I was after all a gargoyle and couldn't wear suits made for human men.

"Jackets are easy enough," I thought. "I can just cape my wings and wear the jacket over them. But the pants..."

I looked further and found one suit that was different from the others.

"What's this?" I said as I pulled the suit out of the wardrobe.

I found that the shirt and jacket of this suit had holes in the back, and that the pants also had a hole cut in it.

"This suit's made for a gargoyle," I thought.

I tried it on, and found that it fit perfectly.

"What are the odds of that happening?" I asked myself and looked in the mirror, noticing that my cloak adjusted to the suit I changed into. "Well, this isn't so bad. I look like I actually belong here."

Then a knocking sound came from the door.

"Are you ready, Boobah?" Rafiki called from behind the closed door.

"I think so," I called back.

The door opened, and Rafiki walked in with some papers in his hands.

"Wondahful," he said as he walked up to me, "Dat suit is perfect for you."

"You have no idea," I replied and looked down at the suit I was wearing.

He smiled and chuckled.

"Heah is deh program you will be following," he said as he handed me the papers.

I started looking them over and realized quickly that I already knew all of the songs on the list.

"I know all these," I said.

"I told you dat you would, did I not?" he replied. "Now all you need is a stage name."

"A stage name?" I repeated in confusion, "Why?"

"I am perfectly aware of how my accent butchahs your name, Boobah," he explained. "I do not t'ink you would want to be called such by deh people if dhey recognized you on deh street."

I couldn't help but chuckle.

"No, you're right," I agreed. "But I don't know what else I can be called. Even with my old band, I always called myself by my own name."

"Den I will give you a stage name," he said, "From now on, you will be known on deh stage as Freddie."

"Freddie?" I repeated.

"Yes, Freddie," he said, "Do you have any objections to dat?"

"Well no," I answered, "But I'm a little curious as to why you picked a name like Freddie?"

"I have my reasons," he said with a smile.

"Oh," I replied.

"And if you are ready, Freddie," he said, "You can begin right now."

I smiled back.

"Freddie," I thought. "I like the sound of that."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Later that night...)

(Mac)

It amazed me how well the boy was keeping up with me, especially after I'd just handed him four consecutive defeats. It was our fifth game, and he had me matched move for move. I had him down to a rook, two bishops, and two pawns. He had me down to two pawns and a rook, three of the formerly four pieces my king was castled in, and I was beginning to think that maybe that wasn't the wisest move I could've made, especially after moving my corner pawn up the board only to have it savagely slain halfway across. So now my king's castle lacked a corner.

I looked down at the pieces on the board. My ivory white pieces ornamented with white pearls, his ebony black pieces ornamented with black opals. An illusion courtesy of Markl. He also had an illusion set on the board to make the spaces more visible. It impressed me how well he was able to simultaneously play the game and keep up the illusion laid on the pieces.

My king was beside my rook with the corner space empty beside him. My king had a pawn in front of him, and beside that pawn, at the edge of the board, was my other pawn. Markl had just taken out the pawn that had ventured out from the corner of the castle with his bishop, leaving me only the remaining pieces of my castle to move. However, by taking my pawn, he left his bishop open to attack from my rook.

"Your move, lad," I chuckled to him as I moved my rook up and took his bishop.

"You must be getting tired," he replied as I released my rook, declaring my turn ended.

"And what makes you say that, lad?" I asked.

He replied by moving his other bishop in alignment to my king.

"Check," he said.

I replied by moving my king to the corner space, safe behind my wall of two pawns. Markl then moved his rook down to the edge of the board and aligned it with my king.

"Check," he said.

"Mm-hmm," I replied and then moved my rook back to where it was, placing it between my king and his rook.

He then moved his rook and took my rook.

"Checkmate," he said and grinned.

I looked closely and realized that he was correct. I adjusted my glasses as I examined every possible option and quickly acknowledged that I had effectively trapped my king with my own pawns. My pawns could not move backwards to take the rook that was too far away for my king to take himself, and I could not move my king to the one spot that was available because Markl's bishop was waiting there.

"So it is," I resigned to say, crossing my arms in defeat. "Excellent, lad. It took you five games, but you managed to beat me."

"That's just 'cuz I haven't played this game in a long time," he said and lowered his head. "Not since my last game with Master Howl."

Krypto, who sat on the floor beside him, also lowered his head and let out a low whine. I looked at the two of them. They both looked downward at nothing in particular.

"Perhaps it's time we put the game away," I suggested and began picking up the pieces that remained on the board.

I quickly noticed that the pieces still had Markl's illusion on them.

"Fascinating," I thought as I examined the ornate illusion on the white king. "How he is able to keep enough focus to hold this illusion up, even now as he grieves for his old Master."

I looked back at Markl and saw tears running down his face.

"The poor lad," I thought, "He is far too young to have lost so much. And it doesn't appear as if he ever gave himself time to truly grieve over his loss."

I finished clearing the board and flipped it over so I could place the pieces back inside.

"If playing this game is going to cause you pain, lad," I said to him as I finished putting the pieces away and closed the board, "I'd rather we not play it."

He looked up at me, as if waking from a trance. He then jumped down from the stool he sat on, ran around the table, and straight to me. He wrapped his wee arms around me and began to cry with his face planted to my lab coat.

I turned my chair so I could face him. I lifted him up and sat him down on my lap. He grabbed the edges of my lab coat and buried his face in my plaid scarf. I brought one arm around his back, and placed my other talon behind his head.

"Cry all you have to, lad," I thought, "It'll do you good to let out all your grief."

My computer then started beeping.

"Agh, such timing," I groaned in thought as I rolled my eyes.

I rolled my chair over to the computer, still holding Markl in my lap. I pressed the button on the computer to accept the call. Jake came on the screen.

"Aye, Jake," I greeted, annoyed, "What is it?"

"Did I catch you at a bad time, luv?" he asked, noticing the crying boy in my lap.

"Your timing's not the best, I'll tell you that much," I replied.

"I'll be quick then," he said, "I only called to make sure my friend from Interpol was on his way."

"Aye, he and Kim left not too long ago," I answered. "You should be seeing them in the next couple of days or so."

"Good," he replied, "I'll notify Piccolo and Fio for ya."

"I appreciate it, Jake," I replied.

"No worries, luv," he said and tipped his hat to me, "I wish ya g'night."

And with that he was gone from the screen. I looked back down at Markl, who was still in tears. He looked up at me, sniffling.

"Mac?" he sobbed.

"Aye, Markl?" I replied.

"Promise me you won't die, Mac," he sniffed.

"What this now, lad?" I responded, taken aback.

"Please promise me you won't die," he repeated.

I looked at him for a long moment.

"I can't go making promises I can't keep," I answered, "I am a mortal being and very much vulnerable to death, especially as old as I am now. Why would you ask such a thing of me?"

"I don't wanna lose any more clans," he sobbed, "I don't wanna be an orphan three times. I'm just starting to feel like we're a clan now. I'm scared that if I feel too close, I'll lose everyone again."

I smiled down at him as he said that.

"I regret to say, Markl, that I can't promise you anything of that sort," I said to him, "This is a very dangerous country, and I have to be honest with you. If we're ever caught, there is little chance any of us would survive to tell about it."

The tears in his eyes thickened with every word of that.

"However," I said, "Unlike other clans, we have the means to keep ourselves hidden from the eyes of the Hunters. With my machines and your magic, I believe we can handle anything that comes."

"But..." he sniffed, "What if--"

I interrupted him by covering his lips with one of my claws.

"Don't think about the 'what if' scenarios," I said and then released his lips. "If you do that, you'll give yourself a lot of stress you needn't be feeling."

I reached aside to the counter and pulled a tissue from the box I had there.

"Here lad," I said as I handed the tissue to Markl so he could blow his nose on it.

He did such and tossed the used tissue to the wastebasket nearby.

"Now I can't promise you that I won't die," I said, "But I can promise you that I'll do everything within my power to make sure we all survive this."

"All of us?" he replied.

"Aye, all of us," I answered. "And then some."

He smiled at me, and I smiled back. The tears thickened in his eyes again, only this time they were tears of joy. He plunged his face back into my scarf.

"Don't ever leave me, Mac," he sobbed. "Okay?"

A thick fog began to cover my glasses as my own eyes filled with tears, and a deep new emotion began to wrench at my heart. It was a feeling I had often wondered about but, until this night, was never fortunate enough to feel for myself.

"As I live and breathe," I thought. "So this is what it's like to have the love of a child. And I thought I had become too old to ever hope to become a mother."

"Don't you worry about that, lad," I replied. "I'm not intending on going anywhere anytime soon."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Vaala)

They looked so peaceful together. Gold was knelt down by the couch with her head resting by Jigen's, her horn resting on the arm of the couch. Jigen had moved his arm that was hanging off the couch so it was slung over Gold's shoulder. They were both somehow asleep like that. It looked like the most uncomfortable position anyone could be sleeping in, yet somehow they seemed perfectly fine.

I stood in the kitchen, drinking my soda and watching them sleep.

"I wonder if Grandpa Alex knew this would happen," I thought.

The TV slowly swung open, and Silverbolt stepped out from behind it. He saw the two sleeping on the couch and smiled. He quietly closed the door again and walked over to me.

"I will assume their day was well spent," he whispered to me.

"Yeah," I answered with a nod, "Their day was a good one."

"They seem to be happy with each other," he said, "I pray that they stay this way."

"Me too," I replied, "Gold's a lot easier to get along with when she's happy."

"Indeed," he agreed.

There was a long weird silence after that. I looked at Silverbolt and noticed that the look on his face wasn't a happy one. He looked like he was worried about something.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Vaala," he started, "How well are you financially?"

"What?" I replied, "We're fine I guess. Why?"

"I've been thinking about this for the last few nights, and I don't like the figures I've been getting."

"What do you mean?"

"When you and Gold settled down here," he started. "How many gargoyles did you plan on living with you?"

"Well, of course we weren't expecting a lot," I answered, "Maybe two or three."

"All together, including the members of our group, we have rescued fifteen gargoyles. And of that fifteen, six of them have stayed here instead of leaving the country."

"Six?" I replied.

"Counting Mac, there are seven of us here," he said, "Six full-grown gargoyles, a child, and a canine beast. And that's not including you and Gold. That makes a total of nine mouths to feed. And I know that can be a handful for just two people."

"You're worried we can't afford to feed everyone?" I asked.

"Yes," he said, "Very worried, in fact. I don't want to put you into any financial trouble. Your name may be Xanatos, but that name cannot help you here."

"I know that," I retorted. "Gold's the one that balances the checkbooks. I'll talk to her about it when she's awake."

"See that you do," he said and started walking back to the TV, "Because if it comes to a point where you can't afford to keep us, then we will need to start sending everyone out of the country, and to be honest, I would rather we didn't have to do that."

He didn't say anything else as he opened the door and stepped back into the penthouse as quietly as he stepped out. After thinking about it a minute, what he said made sense, and I didn't like it.

"What if he's right?" I thought, "Sure we both have full-time jobs, and they pay alright, but is it enough to feed nine hungry mouths? And then there's all our bills ontop of that."

I looked over to Gold and Jigen, still happily sleeping. I took a deep breath and let out a long but quiet sigh.

"Gold could've easily lost track of our finances in the last few weeks," I thought. "With everything that's happened. This won't be an easy thing to bring up, but I can't ignore it either."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Boober)

I was singing the last song for the night. A sad song of love found and lost. Throughout my time on stage, I watched the dance floor, noticing that even now as I sang my last song, nobody got up to dance. This worried me. Of course, there were many things that worried me, but this was on a more personal level.

"Why was nobody dancing?" I thought as I finished the song I was singing.

I stepped back from the microphone, and Rafiki came up to it.

"Dat was marvelous," he said, "Let's give our newest singah, Freddie, a round of applause."

I heard some loud clapping from the tables.

"Our next new singah will be up in jost a moment," he said as he put his hand on my shoulder and started walking off the stage with me.

"Dat was a beautiful performance, Boobah," he said when we were backstage.

"If you say so," I replied.

I would've said more, but I saw Belldandy running up.

"Boober, you made it," she greeted.

"And so did you, Belldandy," I greeted back. "I guess you're going on stage next."

"Yes," she said, "I saw you on stage as I walked in and listened to part of it. With a talent like yours, you really shouldn't have been so nervous at the audition."

"Well, before then I hadn't done any singing in a very long time," I explained. "As a matter of fact, I cracked on my first attempt."

"Well that's okay," she giggled, "What matters is you made it, and now we can all work together to spread the message of love with our music."

"Dat is deh idea," Rafiki replied. "And now, my deah Belldandy, it is your turn on deh stage."

"Yes Rafiki," she replied and bowed and then turned back to me. "I'll see you again soon, Boober."

"Of course," I replied as she ran past me and over to where the stage was.

"She is beautiful, do you not agree?" Rafiki asked.

"Very beautiful," I said.

"Well, in case your heart has gotten any ideas," he said, "She's married."

"Of course she is," I said. "Beautiful girl with her kind of talent must have guys crawling all over her. And she seems like such a good person. Must be some lucky guy."

"Heh heh," he chuckled, "More dan you know."

I blinked and turned back to him.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"I will wait for you at deh bar to discuss your schedule," he said, pointing to the door of the dressing room.

Without saying another word he turned and left.

"He deliberately avoided the question," I thought as I opened the door and stepped inside.

I locked the door and changed back into my regular clothes. I carefully hung the suit back on its hanger and hid it back in the wardrobe where it was.

"I have a strange feeling about this place," I thought, "Neither a good feeling or a bad one, just strange."

I walked out of the door and down the hall. I walked through the door that led to the bar, and there Rafiki was behind the counter of the bar. I looked at my watch to see how much time I had left. There was over an hour and a half left on my cloaker. I sat down at the bar in front of Rafiki, and he placed on the counter in front of me a short glass with some ice cubes in it.

"Would you like a drink before you go?" he asked. "You seem to have much on your mind."

"I don't drink," I replied. "At all."

"I did not ask if you wanted somet'ing wit' alcohol in it," he replied, "I merely asked if you wanted a drink."

"Some iced tea, I guess," I answered and he pulled up a pitcher of iced tea.

"Since you are one of my permanent singers," he started, "I will need you here at least two nights a week for three hours at a time."

"I can do that," I answered as I watched him pour the iced tea.

"Today is Tuesday," he said, "How would you feel about working Tuesdays and Fridays?"

"I don't have any problem with that," I replied.

"Good," he said and looked over t the stage.

I looked back to the stage, and there was Belldandy, ready to begin her song. The music began playing and she took a deep breath.

"Why do birds," she sang, "Suddenly appear, every time you are near? Just like me, they long to be, close to you."

Almost as soon as she started, couples stood up from almost every table and moved over to the dance floor. They began to dance with every note that she sang.

"Rafiki," I said, "Do I suck?"

"What?" he chuckled, "What do you mean by dat, Boobah?"

"Belldandy's singing on that stage right now," I said, "And just about every couple in the room is on the dance floor."

"Yes, she has a strange way about her," Rafiki replied.

"There wasn't a single couple on the dance floor the entire time I was on stage," I said as I looked down at my glass of iced tea. "I think it's because I suck."

He blinked at me for a moment, but then he smiled and chuckled.

"No, dat's not it at all," he chuckled.

"Then what is it?"

"When you ah up on deh stage, singing your beautiful music, I see everyone stop whatevah it is dey ah doing and dey listen. Dey listen to deh beautiful sound of your voice as you play each note wit' words of Upendi. Dat is why nobody dances when you sing."

I smiled and finally took a drink from the tea he'd poured me. I felt a strong kick as I started to swallow and then choked the rest back out. I glared up at Rafiki, who just stood there smiling at me.

"Hey! You spiked it!"

"Whoops, sorry," he said in a cheerful tone, wearing a big grin on his face as he picked the glass back up, "My mistake."

I looked down at my watch. I had an hour left.

"I really should be getting home," I said and got up off the stool I sat on.

"I will see you Friday den," Rafiki replied.

"I'll see you Friday," I said with a nod and left the club.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Couple hours later...)

(Jigen)

I woke up to find my beak lying between a pair of pale yellow horns, one above and one underneath. I lifted my head up, peeling my jaw from the horn underneath. I rubbed my jaw for a second to get the painful crease out.

I looked down at the sleeping female beside me, knelt on the floor with her head by the arm of the couch.

"How can she sleep like that?" I wondered in thought.

I raised my talon up from where it was slung on her back, and brought it up to her face. I carefully ran one of my claws down one of her big poofy bangs. She opened her bright red eyes, and she smiled at me.

"Hey," she said to me.

"Hey," I said back.

"Did you sleep well?" she asked.

"Well enough," I answered, "How about you?"

"Well enough," she answered.

"Hey, you guys are finally awake," said a voice from behind Gold. I looked up and found Vaala hovering over us.

"Do you make it a habit to watch people while they sleep?" I asked.

"Only when they look so cute together," she answered.

I couldn't think of anything to say to that. I lifted myself up so I was sitting on the couch. I adjusted my hat and my jacket as Gold got up to her feet.

"Gold," Vaala said, "We need to talk."

"About what?" she asked.

"I'll tell you in a minute," she said and started walking away. "Come on."

"Um, okay," She replied and started following her to her bedroom. As she past me she bent down and kissed me, and I kissed her back just before she was out of reach.

"I'll probably go up for a smoke in a minute," I said.

"Alright," she said and kept going.

They both walked into Vaala's bedroom and disappeared behind a closed door.

"Wonder what the problem is," I wondered to myself as I stood up from the couch and stretched my stiff muscles. I opened my beak wide and let out a big yawn.

"Damn, I'm still tired," I said to myself and looked at my watch. "It's after three. Plenty of time for a smoke. I'll wait 'till sunrise to get more sleep."

I turned my cloaker on and stepped out of the apartment.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Gold Demona)

We stepped into Vaala's room, and I shut the door behind me.

"So what's going on?" I asked.

"Gold," she started, "When was the last time you balanced the checkbook?"

I blinked at her, not sure how to answer that. It was far enough back that I didn't remember when I last balanced the checkbook.

"I called the bank a little bit ago," she said, "We don't have a lot in there."

"What?" I replied. "But neither of us has done any major spending. We've only been buying what we need."

"Yeah, but it looks like we need more than we can pay for," she said. "In this apartment we have seven gargoyles, one human, and one human/gargoyle. Not to insult you, but you eat like a gargoyle. That's a lot of food. I just looked in the fridge in the penthouse dining room, and there's not a lot in there, either. We still have a good amount in our fridge in the kitchen, but that might not last long. We've paid our bills for this month, right?"

"Yes," I answered. "And some of the ones for next month."

"Good," she said, "Because we have to think of something fast. We have enough to feed everyone for the next couple of days, but we don't have enough money in the bank to feed everyone for much longer. We have to either ration our meals or be like the Inspector and live on nothing but Ramen."

"Neither of those sound like good options."

"The last option's worse," she said, "Which is that we start sending people out of here so we have less to feed."

I sat down on Vaala's bed, putting my lower face in my talons as I tried to think of a better solution. I didn't want to think about sending anyone away, especially if it meant sending Jigen away now that he's finally come back.

"What if we took off the satellite service on the tv?" I asked, "That'll lighten our load substantially. We can live with watching just the local channels. Markl will have nothing to watch, but then again, he's been hanging around the lab a lot lately."

"It'll lighten our load by like a hundred fifty a month," she said, "It's still not enough, unless you're willing to either ration or eat Ramen indefinitely."

"Ugh, this is frustrating," I grumbled.

"I know," she said and sat down next to me, "I don't want anyone to leave either. Especially after Jigen's come all this way just to be with you. But we can't ask them to stay here so they can starve to death."

I tried to think of something we could do, but my mind was in a blur. The only thing I could properly think of was to get the checkbook back up to date.

"Give me few minutes to balance the checkbook," I said and got up from the bed to leave the room, "So we have a better idea of what we're dealing with."

"Right," she agreed. "After that we can try and decide something. Better yet, why don't you go back to sleep after you finish balancing the checkbook? We won't be able to do anything tonight anyways, so we should get some sleep and clear our heads."

"I don't know if I'll be able to sleep after I'm done," I said as I got to the door and opened it. I let out a sigh and looked back at Vaala. "It just figures that we all finally feel like we've got something together and something like this happens. And I don't just mean me and Jigen."

"I know," she said, "Almost feels like being in a clan. Just like home."

"Home," I repeated and continued walking out, "Now there's something we can all dream about."

I shut the door as I walked out. I looked up and saw Silverbolt standing in front of me.

"You look about as happy as I am," I said to him.

"Have you decided what is to be done?" he asked.

"Not yet," I said, "First I'm going to figure out our exact situation. Then we can analyze it and make the best decision possible."

He nodded.

"That sounds reasonable," he said.

I looked down and away from him. The conversation with Vaala kept replaying over and over in my mind. And the more I heard it, the more I wanted to cry.

"If it makes you feel better, Gold," he said, "If the situation is such that you must send us away, I will volunteer to be the first to go."

"No," I sobbed and shook my head. "No. No one's going away. No one. I'll find a way. There HAS to be a way."

"Your devotion and loyalty are admirable, Gold," he said, "But please be realistic about this. You cannot squeeze blood from a stone. If you can find a way for all of us to stay here, then I won't argue. But if you truly cannot afford to keep us, don't try to find a solution that isn't there."

"Where there's a will, there's a way," I said, "I will find a way."

"Then I will pray for your success," he said with a sigh as he turned around and started walking back to the penthouse.

"Silverbolt?" I called.

He stopped and looked back at me.

"Have you told anyone else about this?" I asked.

"Only Mac," he said, "And she has agreed to turn off the majority of her equipment and only leave on what she absolutely needs, to save on your electric bill."

"That'll help us greatly," I said. "What about everyone else? They'll need to know this eventually."

"I will leave that to you," he said and continued to the TV, "Just don't wait too long."

He opened the door and stepped through and was out of sight. I continued to my bedroom, to the dresser where I kept the checkbook to our bank account. I opened and saw that the last time I updated it was over a month and a half ago.

"How could I have lost track this bad?" I thought and sat down on my bed.

I took out the pen that I kept on the edge of the checkbook and started looking through all the check stubs from the last time I updated.

"It's a good thing we only use checks and cash for everything we do," I said, "It'd be hell for me to try and track down all the receipts if we actually used our check cards."

I punched the numbers into the checkbook and subtracted and subtracted, and watched in dismay as the balance kept going down and down. It got to the point where I was hating the minus key on my calculator.

"This isn't good," I said to myself as I finished my calculating and wrote down the final balance. "This isn't good at all. Our account's emptying a lot faster than our paychecks can refill it. Especially with all the food we buy. This is not good."

I examined all the figures, noting how much our grocery expenses increased over the last few weeks. I looked at our satellite bill. I counted the figures if we didn't have it, but I found that Vaala was right. It wasn't enough to really get us out of this problem. I flopped backwards on my bed, exasperated with our lack of options. I stared at the ceiling as my mind went in circles trying to find a solution. After a while I lost track of everything and fell asleep where I was.


	15. Chapter 14: To Find An Answer

Gold Demona

**Chapter XIV**

To Find An Answer

(Jigen)

(That morning, not long before sunrise...)(October 1, 2110 A.D.)

I'd just finished smoking and I was entering the apartment. I looked over and noticed that the lights in Gold's room were still on. I walked over to the door. It wasn't shut all the way, so I figured it was safe to go in. I pushed the door open and stepped inside. I found Gold sleeping, lying on her back on the bed, but not in the normal way. It was like she was sitting on her bed and fell asleep like that, because her legs were bent down off the edge.

I stepped closer and looked at her face. It was orange and wet, like she'd been crying.

"Whatever Vaala said to her wasn't good," I thought.

I looked and quickly noticed a calculator, a pen, and a half-open checkbook lying beside her.

"Uh-oh," I thought as I picked up the checkbook. "What happened?"

I looked down the line from about a month ago down to the current balance. The math looked ugly all the way down.

"Son of a bitch," I thought as I brought my free talon up to my head and rested it ontop of my hat behind my head.

I put the checkbook back on the bed where I found it and turned back to the door. I stepped out and quietly latched the door shut behind me.

"This is bad," I thought as I walked over to the TV and into the penthouse. "This is very bad."

I walked down the hall and passed Silverbolt on the way. He was on his way to the dining room, and he didn't look very happy. I had a pretty good idea why.

"It appears you found out what happened," he said to me.

"Yeah," I replied, "Not exactly something I wanted to find out right before going to sleep."

"I suspect not," he replied, "You do know what we might have to do, don't you?"

"I can't leave her," I said, shaking my head because I knew exactly what he meant. "Not again. I just know it would kill her if I left again."

"I know this is difficult, Jigen," he said, "But if keeping all of us here is going to be such a terrible burden for them, we cannot stay."

"I know," I said and let out a sigh, "I know."

"Then there is no need to discuss this further," he said and kept walking.

"Sleeping in the dining room?" I asked.

"Yes," he said, "I think better after sleeping in solitude. Gold and Vaala are going to need all the help they can get tomorrow."

"Yeah," I agreed and continued to the statue room, where Boober, Red, Markl and Krypto were waiting.

"Hey, you're finally awake," Red said to me as I walked in. "Just in time to go to sleep again."

I didn't so much as smile when she said that. I just kept walking and found a nice big spot for me to spread my wings.

"Geez, what's with the sourpuss?" she asked.

"What's the matter, Jigen?" Boober asked.

"They don't know yet," I thought, "Should I tell them?"

"I don't think it's my place to say," I said. "Not this close to sunrise."

"You didn't break up with Gold already, did you?" Red retorted.

"Hell no!" I snapped.

"Then what is it?"

"Tomorrow," I said, trying to end the conversation as soon as possible, "Not tonight."

"Fine, tomorrow then," Red replied as everyone got ready.

"There must be something I can do," I thought as I readied myself for the sunrise, spreading my wings and reaching behind my back as if to draw my gun.

"That's it," I thought as an idea came to my mind at the last possible second, just as my body hardened to stone.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Later that morning...)

(Gold Demona)

I woke up and realized that I wasn't all the way in my bed. I sat up and looked over to my alarm clock.

"Eleven thirty," I read out loud.

I looked down at the checkbook laid on the bed beside me.

"Damn," I sighed as I picked it up and looked at our balance again, "And here I was hoping it was all a bad dream."

I stared at the numbers and let out a long sigh. My thoughts were then interrupted by a sudden knock on my bedroom door.

"Hey Gold," Vaala called from the other side. "You awake?"

"Yeah," I called back as I got up to my feet. "Give me a minute."

"You fell asleep in your clothes, didn't you?" she asked.

"Yeah," I answered as I pulled some human clothes out of the dresser and started changing into them.

"Did you balance the checkbook?" she asked.

"Of course I did," I answered as I finished changing, "Come in."

She opened the door and walked in.

"Alright, let's see what we got here," she said as she picked up the checkbook and opened it.

"Not a lot," I replied. "There's not a lot we can do to fix this."

"Yeah," she said, "I can see that."

"Silverbolt said last night that Mac's gonna turn off a lot of her equipment to lower our electric bill. And I'll call the satellite company to cancel our service."

"That'll help," she said, "But it's still not enough."

"I know, but it's better than nothing. And we might not have to send so many away if we cut our costs."

"Right," she replied. "So what do you think we should do?"

"I think before we make a definite plan," I said, "We should tell everyone what's going on."

"You mean Silverbolt only told Mac?"

"He said he'd leave it to us to tell everybody else about this. I think we should. This affects everyone, and they have a right to know."

"You're just trying to delay the inevitable decision we'll have to make."

"Maybe I am, but you know I'm right. They need to know. I think they should be able to take part in deciding their own fate. If we do end up having to send them away, it shouldn't feel like we're just kicking them out."

"I can't really argue with that," she replied, "Okay, we'll wait until tonight to decide what we're doing."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(That evening...)

(Jigen)

The instant I woke up, I knew exactly what I had to do. As soon as I was done shaking off all the leftover bits of stone, I bolted for the living room. I had to pause for a moment because the door to the apartment was locked. I knocked on the back of the TV.

"Hey!" I called as I knocked. "You awake over there?"

Then there were some beeps, followed by some clicks, and then the door opened in front of me. I stepped out and saw Vaala standing in front of the couch with the TV remote in her hand.

"What the hurry, Jigen?" she asked.

"Is Gold still asleep?" I asked.

"No, she's getting dressed," she answered and put the remote down on the coffee table, "Now why did you need the door opened in such a hurry?"

"There's something I gotta do," I answered, "Do you know where I can find a pawnshop?"

"A pawnshop?" She repeated, eyebrow raise in confusion, "No, I don't know of any. But you'll probably find one down on the rougher end of Olive Branch Trail."

"Olive Branch Trail, huh?" I repeated. "How do I get there?"

"You take a left on Main Street and go down five blocks," she answered. "Why do you need to find a pawnshop so badly?"

"I told you, there's something I gotta do," I answered as I turned on my cloaker and continued to the door. "Thanks."

"But wait, Jigen! We need everyone to--" she started as I ran out the door and shut it behind me.

I hurried to the elevator and made my way outside.

"They're probably gathering everybody to tell them what's happened," I thought as I ran over to Main Street and turned left. "I hope I can do something before they make any final plans."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Gold Demona)

I finished getting dressed and walked out to the living room.

"Was that Jigen I heard just now?" I asked.

"Yeah, he just bolted out the door," she answered. "I didn't even get to tell him what we're doing tonight."

"Oh well, we can tell him when he comes back," I said and walked to the still open TV.

We both walked inside and ran into Silverbolt, who was walking from the dining room.

"Evening, ladies," he greeted with a grim expression on his face, "Have you decided what is to be done?"

"Not yet," Vaala answered, "We want to tell everyone what's going on first."

"We want everyone to take part in deciding what we're gonna do."

"So it'll be a consensus, will it?" he said with a nod, "Very well."

Vaala continued to the statue room. I turned to Silverbolt.

"I want Mac to be part of this, too," I said. "Could you get her to come join us?"

"Of course," he nodded and turned to the lab as I followed Vaala to the statue room.

We were met with four bewildered faces.

"Vaala, Gold, what the hell is going on?" Red demanded.

"That's what we're here to talk about," Vaala said.

"I think everyone should sit down for this," I said.

Red, Boober, and Markl each took a chair and sat down. Krypto took a spot on the floor beside Markl.

Silverbolt and Mac walked in behind us.

"Are weh leht?" Mac asked.

"No, you're just in time," Vaala said. "Have a seat."

They walked past us and each took a chair. Everyone stared wide-eyed at Mac as she sat down.

"Sorry if we interrupted anything, Mac," I said, "But this is important."

"Aye, eht's fine, lass," she answered, "Thes es sohmthin thaht nehds dehscussed. Ah'm honared ye want meh ta tehk part ehn eht."

She looked around, noticing the stares she was getting from everyone else.

"Whot?" she asked. "Eht's noht like ye've nivar sin meh bifoore."

"It must be something REALLY major if they're dragging Mac out of her lab," Red pointed out as everyone slowly turned their gazes back at us.

"We weren't discovered, were we?" Boober asked.

"No," Vaala answered and shook her head, "We're still hidden. That's not it."

"Are we in some kind of danger?" Markl asked.

We both took deep breaths, trying to ready ourselves for what we had to say. The utter silence of the room was mortifying. All six pairs of eyes were glued to us, waiting for us to start talking.

"Well, to put it simply," I began, inhaling another deep breath and pulling out my checkbook, "We are in danger of going broke."

Three jaws fell straight down.

"Broke?!" Red yelled, "What do you mean broke?!"

"Exactly what she said," Vaala answered, "We're not making enough money to support everyone. Our bank account is draining faster than it's filling, and most of what's coming out is the cost of food. At the rate we're going, we'll be bankrupt by the end of the month."

"There must be something we can do," Markl said. "We can't just let this happen."

"We're already taking measures to reduce our costs," Vaala continued, "We've called the satellite company and canceled our service. So after this month, the only channels we'll get on the TV are local channels."

"Ahnd I've shoht doon tha majoreteh ohf the equipmant ehn tha lahb," Mac added, "Ta loowar tha cohst ohf powar."

"And although that'll help us," I said, "It won't be enough. The only thing that'll do is buy us time."

"So what are we going to do?" Boober asked.

"The reason we've gathered everyone here," Vaala said, "Is so we can all decide what to do."

"This affects every one of you," I continued, "So we thought it was only fair that you all help us decide your fate."

"Our fate?" Red asked. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"So far we've only been able to come up with these solutions," Vaala said. "Either we ration all our food and risk starving everyone…"

Everybody grimaced at the thought of it.

"Or," I added, pausing because I really didn't like what I was going to say.

I could hear the chairs creak as they leaned forward, eager to hear what the other option was.

"Our other option," I continued, "Is to send some of you out of the country."

The faces they made after that weren't much better.

"That's all you can think of?!" Red raged, "Those options suck! Either leave or starve? I've yet to do anything useful around here! I sure as hell ain't leaving! I'll take starvation!"

"And if Red's not leaving, I can't leave," Boober added, "You all know why."

"Ahnd ye booth know Ah cahn't go anehwhir," Mac said.

"And I don't wanna leave," Markl said, "Because you never know when my magic will be helpful to you."

"And Jigen sure as hell ain't leaving," Vaala added, "Not after coming back all this way."

"Even if we ration," Silverbolt added, "All of you must remember that we as gargoyles require more to survive than humans do. A rationed portion for a gargoyle is equivalent to a full meal for a human."

Everyone turned their attention to Silverbolt.

"What are you getting at, Silver?" Red asked.

"Look at how many of us there are in this room," he continued, "Count the number of mouths there are to feed. Everyone, think about this carefully before you decide. If everyone wants to stay and we agree to ration our food, Gold and Vaala would only barely be able to afford it. Real food will become a luxury to us. We will be surviving on dollar brand foods, and even then the portions will be rationed. And there is no telling how long this will last. We may end up doing this for anywhere between a few months to several years. Is everyone willing to go through with that, knowing that this may be a permanent arrangement?"

"Will, ye alreadeh knoo m'choice ohn tha mahttar," Mac answered, "Ah'm stehin'."

"I don't care what kind of food we eat," Markl answered, "I'm staying too."

"Ar!" Krypto agreed.

"I already told you," Red said, "I ain't leavin', and that's that."

"Red, are you sure?" Boober asked, "I mean we really don't have to stay here. Especially if we're just going to be such an awful burden."

"If you want to leave, Boober, then leave!" Red snapped at him, making him cringe away, "You don't have to stay just because I am. It's not like we can't do our own laundry around here."

"Yes, but using the machines uses electricity," he pointed out, "Which is something we want to avoid."

"Well, then shut up about it!" she yelled.

"Well, it looks like everyone's made up their minds," I said, "Now we just need Jigen's input on this."

"We'll get it from him when he gets back," Vaala said and turned to walk out. "For now, I'm going back to the living room to enjoy what's left of our satellite TV. Meeting adjourned."

"Well, from now on when we say we're gonna have a bite to eat," Red groaned, "We really will mean just a bite."

"There must be more that we can do," Boober said with his talon on his chin.

"Ehf ye find a bittar solution, lahd," Mac said as she got up from her chair and walked out the door. "Doon't hisitate ta shir eht weth ohs."

I watched as she disappeared into the hall.

"Oh I will," Boober said after she was gone, "Don't you worry about that."

"Well good," I sighed and started walking to the door. "Because now we'll take any help we can get."

"Hey Gold?" Markl called as he ran up behind me.

I turned around and looked down to him.

"Yeah Markl?" I replied.

"I'll make sure Krypto doesn't eat more than he needs to," he said. "And I'll try not to eat more than anybody else."

"That'd be great, Markl," I smiled and turned to continue walking.

"I see a rough winter ahead of us," I thought as I walked out.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Jigen)

I was on my third cigarette when I finally found my way to Olive Branch Trail. It was a slummy street full of all sorts of unsavory characters. Bars, strip joints, prostitutes. Almost felt like home. And as I always did, I walked past all of it. I finally stopped when I finally found what I was looking for. I was amazed when I immediately recognized the storefront.

"Universal Pawnbroker?" I read the sign out loud, "No way. It's not frickin possible."

I walked in, and just as it always was, everything was just where I remembered it. I looked around at all the junk that was strewn around, the normal stuff that was sold at this pawnshop.

"How the hell does he keep doing this?" I asked myself in thought and looked up to the counter.

Standing behind it was a man I could easily describe as the sleaziest-looking human alive. He was an ugly guy. He had a big nose, huge ears, really crooked teeth, and even more crooked eyes. He was a man no normal person could trust, but somehow I could always count on him to have what I needed.

"Jack Jeebs, you son of a bitch," I greeted as I stepped up to the counter, puffing a cloud of smoke from my cigarette, "How is it that no matter where I go, whenever I'm just trying to find any random pawnshop, I end up finding yours?"

The man blinked at me for several seconds, although with the alignment of his eyes, it was hard to tell he was looking at me.

"Jigen, is that you?" the man replied, speaking with a sloppy lisp.

I replied by pulling my gun out and pointing it to his head.

"Does this answer it for you?" I asked.

"Dah! Okay okay! Put it down!" he squealed with his hands above his head.

I twirled my gun and put it away.

"You didn't have to do that, y'know," He protested. "Scarin' me half to death like that. What the hell is the matter with you?"

"You know we don't have time for that, Jeebs," I replied and inhaled some more smoke, "And it's not like you would've died if I shot you. I know you can grow yourself another head. That's why you're as ugly as you are, from all the times you've had to grow yer head back. You and your crazy fey powers."

"I'm only half-fey, you insensitive bastard," he snapped.

"I've seen quarter-fey that can be just as nasty as the purebloods," I pointed, "So don't even give me that bullshit."

"That's beside the point," he protested, "It's irritating how much it stings when my head gets blown off."

"I know," I replied with a grin and took the spent cigarette out of my beak, "That's why I didn't pull the trigger."

He pulled an ashtray out from under the counter so I could put out my cigarette. After that he put it away again and took a moment to look me up and down.

"Holy shit, man!" he said, "That's one hell of a disguise!"

"People like me need 'em around here," I said. "But I'm not here to talk about this country's screwed up system of law."

"I take it you're here for the usual?" he said, "Some cases of ammo and packs of cigarettes?"

"Actually, Jeebs," I said and reached behind me again, "I'm here to get an estimate."

"An estimate?" he repeated, eyeing me carefully, "You got some goods for me?"

"You could say that," I replied as I placed my gun on the counter. "I need you to tell me how much this is worth."

He stared wide-eyed down at the gun, and then he raised an eyebrow and looked back up at me.

"You're joking," he said.

"Do I look like I'm joking, Jeebs?" I asked.

"Jigen, you can't pawn off your gun," he said.

"And why not?" I asked, "It's valuable merchandise, just like anything else."

"Well sure, but I know how much this gun means to you," he insisted, "Selling this is like selling an arm or a wing to you."

"Just make the damn estimate," I replied, attempting to make him shut up about it.

"So you really are serious about this," he said and pulled out some equipment. "Must be something desperate if you're willing to pawn off your Magnum."

"I need the money," I said.

The equipment he had were mostly jeweler's tools, things normally used to inspect jewels for quality. Jeebs was an expert on artillery, so he knew what to look for in a gun.

"So tell me, Jeebs," I started for a change of topic, "What made you decide to come to a nasty place like this?"

"I was going to ask you the same thing," he said, "It's fine for me because a customer's a customer, no matter who they hate. But this really isn't a place for a guy like you. What possessed Lupin to bring you guys all the way here?"

"He didn't," I answered. "I came here on my own. Last I saw Lupin he was in Kyoto. Who knows where the hell he is now?"

"So what are you doing down here in Paradigm?" he asked, still carefully inspecting the gun. "Down in the very depths of New Liberty?"

"What I'm doing here is my business," I answered.

"Alright, that's fine," he said. "Well, whatever it is, don't go getting yourself killed for it. You and Lupin are my best customers, and I'd lose a lot of business if either of you died on me."

"Thanks for the heartfelt concern," I replied in sarcasm.

He turned it every which way, unloaded it, inspected the barrel. Moved every part that was meant to move.

"I remember when I sold you this gun," he said, "It was twenty years ago."

"Yep," I agreed, remembering back to the day I bought the gun. "Twentieth century Smith & Wesson Model 19 Combat Magnum, three fifty-seven caliber. Pawned from an old gun collector. Perfect condition. Never been used."

"Well, I can see that it's seen lots of use under your care," he said as he put the gun back down on the counter and pulled out a pad of paper. "And you've taken excellent care of it. It's still in amazingly prime condition, considering the amount of abuse you put it through on a regular basis."

"Take care of your weapon, and your weapon will take care of you," I said. "So what's it worth?"

"You do realize, of course, that even if I give you a price right now," he said as he pulled a pen out and started writing on his pad of paper, "I won't have the cash for you until Friday."

"I know," I said, "It's not a cheap gun. That's why I'm only asking for an estimate right now."

"Well, here's yer estimate," he said as he tore the sheet from the pad and handed it to me.

I looked at the piece of paper to see the price that was written on it.

"Yeah, I didn't figure it'd be as much as when I got it," I said and stuffed the paper in my pocket, "But it'll be enough."

"I still don't understand why you're doing this, Jigen," he said, arms crossed. "What could possibly be so important that you'd be willing to part with something this valuable?"

"I found something even more valuable," I answered as I picked it up and put it back in its holster. "Something I'm willing to do anything to protect. Even pawn off my gun."

"If it's worth so much more, then why don't you pawn that off?" he asked.

"Someone like you wouldn't get it, Jeebs," I replied and turned for the door, "Just have the money for me by Friday."

"Sure thing," he replied as I walked out the door and made my way home.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Mac)

I stared down at the glass in my talon, twirling it to make the ice spin about. I sat at my computer with two bottles sitting on the counter beside me, both from the scotch cabinet, one completely empty, and one still with a quarter of the bottle filled. I took a deep breath and sighed when I remembered that I had started the night with two full bottles.

"Perhaps I do drink too much," I thought as I took another long drink from the glass. "But alas, I have no answers. This is not a good sign. I need to rectify this."

I looked up at the screen in front of me, which showed the program I'd created to study Gold's genetic code. I shut that program down and began running another program, one that I've devised for such a time when I had no answers.

"Begin session, code QA-20." I commanded aloud.

Then some text appeared on the screen.

"Query 1:" The text read, "How do you feel tonight?"

"Agh! What kind of question is that?" I answered, "Terrible is what I feel."

The screen cleared the text and made room for the next question.

"Query 2:" The text read, "Why do you feel terrible?"

"The night bears grim tidings," I answered and took another drink, "The future does not bode well on us."

"Query 3: When the future appears grim, one must seek possible means to prevent such from occurring. Have you done such?"

"Of course we have," I answered, "The solutions we've thought of are what have taken the light out of what we can see in our future. To separate the lot of us to each suffer on our own, or to keep everyone together and share our suffering in a slow and miserable death. Everyone seems willing to suffer the latter, taking preference in starvation over a broken heart."

"Query 4: Is there no other solution?"

"We've not thought of any. These are the solutions Gold and Vaala brought to us, and I with all my years of education can't think of anything better."

"Query 5: How do you feel about this decision that everyone has made?"

"It weighs heavily on my heart," I said and drank again. "I have a mission here, so I cannot leave. The others have no such assignments, and should not have to bear this burden. Least of all the younger ones."

"Query 6: I assume you meant to specify that last statement to Markl, for he is the youngest among you, perhaps followed closely by his canine companion."

"Markl," I repeated. "He should not have to suffer this with us. That poor lad has suffered enough. Perhaps it would be best if I sent him to South Rock to live with Piccolo for a time. I know Piccolo can take care of him until times are better here."

"Query 7: Is this an emergence of the motherly instincts you never had the chance to use?"

"Perhaps it is," I smiled and took a drink, "The lad is special. If I can get him through this, he'll have a grand future ahead of him."

"Query 8: You seem to see something in him. Care to elaborate?"

"He's a brilliant lad, able to pick up high-level sorcery just from watching it. I see in him what I was at his age, but in a completely different light. He could very well be to magic what I am to science. I'd teach him all I know if I thought it would be of any use to him."

"Query 9: Regress to previous topic. Given the choices everyone has made, would it be safe to say that one of them may carry an alternate solution?"

"Perhaps," I answered and drank the last drops of scotch from the glass. "But if they did, why would they keep their motives hidden?"

I placed the glass down on the counter and refilled it as more text appeared on the screen.

"Response: Perhaps the motives are too personal, involving something which no other individuals know anything about. Keeping such motives hidden would make them more at ease, especially if the original purpose of these motives is something other than to provide a solution to your problem."

"I see," I replied as I put the bottle back down and lifted my glass to drink again. Then I heard something outside the door.

"Query 10: --"

"Hold that thought," I said as I pressed a key to pause the program.

As I suspected, Silverbolt opened the door and stepped in, though only enough to keep the door open.

"Mac, rations begin tonight," he announced. "Will you come and take your share?"

"Agh no," I answered, "Just have Markl bring it to me."

"As you wish," he said and shut the door again. "Sorry to interrupt."

"I'm always interrupted at some point," I thought as I pressed a key to unpause the program.

"Continue," I said to it.

The text that was there cleared, and it began to type again.

"Query 10:" It repeated, "Are you ashamed of how much you drink?"

This question confused me because it seemed a complete change of topic.

"No," I answered, "I drink in front of Markl, do I not?"

"Query 11: When Silverbolt entered the room, you instinctively placed your wings at a position to strategically hide all evidence of the scotch in the immediate vicinity. Am I mistaken?"

I looked upon myself and realized that this was correct. My left wing hid the glass in my talon and my right covered any view of the bottles on the counter. I relaxed them so they were again behind me. I looked down at the glass in my talon. It was again nearly empty. The ice that was in it was nearly gone. I drank the last of that, placed it on the counter, and picked up the nearly empty bottle.

"I never thought of it until now," I said, "Perhaps I am ashamed of this habit I have. As of yet the only one here that knows about it is Markl."

"Query 12: ……"

For some strange reason, the computer displayed the question in font smaller than I could read. I looked closer and realized that the only reason I couldn't see it was because of how my vision was impaired by the alcohol.

"That's funny, computer," I said to it. "Give a drunken old bat something small to read, why don't you?"

"Query 13: It was a test of your sobriety. You are quite heavily inebriated. You've had an extraordinary amount, even for one such as yourself. Are you not aware of your own condition?"

"I can handle a few drinks, computer," I replied as I swigged down the last of the scotch from the bottle and set it back down on the counter. When I let go, it fell on its side and rolled down to the end of the counter.

"Query 14: You've never consumed more than half a bottle in one night. Tonight you've consumed two entire bottles. What brought you to do such?"

"I needed to clear my thoughts," I answered, "The scotch helps me think."

"Query 15: You know better than anyone that an excessive consumption of alcohol impairs the mind rather than sharpens it. If your reason was truly to clear your thoughts, then why did you choose to ignore this fact?"

I put my elbow on the counter, and my talon to my head. It was beginning to ache. Although I could still read the text on the screen, it was growing ever more difficult.

"I don't know," I answered.

I rose from my chair, but then wobbled backwards and back into it, sending me rolling across the room. I looked over to the computer and saw more than one.

"After all these years," I thought, "I still don't know my own limit."

I saw that the computer had placed more text on the screen, which I assumed was the next question, but I could not read it from where I was.

"Agh, my head," I thought with my talon firmly planted to my head.

I remembered that my headache medicine was on the other side of the table from where I was.

I placed one talon on the counter and the other on the table so I could lift myself from the chair and have better stability. I released the counter so I could walk over to the side of the table where the pills were. Though I was having quite a time getting there.

The door opened, and Markl stepped in with a plate of food.

"Mac?" he said as he stepped in with Krypto right behind him, "Are you alright?"

"Aye, lad," I answered, leaning down on the table. "Just a headache is all."

"A headache?" he repeated.

Then there was a loud thud coming from below the counter. Markl placed the plate on the table and ran over to pick up from the floor the empty scotch bottle that I'd placed on the counter not a minute earlier. After placing it back on the counter beside the other empty bottle, he turned back to me with a hard look.

"You've been drinking again," he scolded.

"Heh," I chuckled. "Aye, ya got me there, lad."

"And that's why your head hurts," he said, "Because you drank too much."

"Aye, that's it precisely."

"Why are you drinking so much, Mac?"

"I already answered that question," I said, "While you're there, Markl, what does it say on the screen?"

"Huh?" He replied and looked at my computer screen. "It says 'Queery 16: How would you feel if Markl stepped into the room right at this moment and witnessed your current condition?'"

"Computer, you have terrible timing," I retorted as I finally found my pill bottle and picked it up, "Next question."

"Queery 17:" Markl read out loud, "Hello, Markl. How do you feel about all of this?"

"It's asking Markl?" I thought as I took a pill out of the bottle and took it.

"All of this?" he repeated. "You're asking me?"

"Clarification:" he read out loud, "Yes, you are an important part of this Question and Answer session. Between what has occurred tonight and what you have seen here in this room, how do you feel?"

"I don't like it," he answered. "I don't want anyone to die. But we're all going to die if we don't do something."

"Query 18: Then why do you not leave?"

"We're a clan now," he answered and then turned back to me, "Didn't everybody prove that just now? Nobody wants to leave because we all want to stay together, just like how a family should be."

"Query 19: What is my creator's relationship to you?"

"Your creator?" he asked.

"Aye," I said as I stepped forward. "The one who created the program. That would be me, lad."

I attempted to walk back to my chair, but along the way I tripped over one of my wings. Before I knew what had happened, I had bounced off the edge of the table and landed with a painful crash on the hard floor beneath me.

"Mac!" I heard Markl call as he ran to me and knelt down beside where I fell.

I propped myself up on my arms and looked up at the concerned lad hovering over me and the canine beastie sniffing at me.

"It seems I've had far more than I should have," I said and then raised my talon to my chest. "Oy, that hurt."

"Why do you drink so much, Mac?" he asked, "It's really not good for you."

I looked at him for a moment. I could barely stand the look he was giving me. He worried for me. I could see it.

"This time," I began, "I have no solution to the problem. It's rare that I don't have an answer. It's never a good sign when I don't have any answers."

"You can't have all the answers all the time," he said, "Even members of the third race don't have answers all the time. You'd have to be a god to have all the answers all the time."

"Aye, that much I know," I said and pushed myself upright to a sitting position, leaning on the table beside me, "However, in my case, whenever there is a time in my life when I have no answers, something terrible happens."

"Something terrible?" he repeated, "Like what?"

"The last time I had no answers and something truly terrible happened was over sixty years ago," I said. "I was a practicing doctor and medical researcher in Scotland."

"You were a doctor?" he said, "Did one of your patients die? Is that the terrible thing that happened?"

"I've seen patients live, and I've seen them die. It's part of the job, although the number of my successes far outnumbered my death count. Aye, it was a patient that died, but this one was different from the rest."

"How was it different?"

"This patient," I said, pausing with a deep breath as those terrible years of my life came flooding back to me. "He was my husband."

"I didn't know you were married."

"Aye, I was," I answered, "We were only married for but a short time, and we were so happy together, so young and ambitious."

"But what happened?" he asked. "Why did he die?"

"Why indeed," I said, "I've asked myself that question many times, but every time I've found myself falling to the same conclusion. He had contracted a rare and powerful disease. I knew nothing about it until it was too late. I had not the means to cure him nor the time to find one."

"Did you have any kids?" he asked.

I hung my head as he asked that.

"I nearly did," I sobbed, "I had an egg with him. My husband died just before I laid it. He knew it was coming, and just before he died, he swore he would watch over us. I waited the cycle for our egg to hatch, but no child came from it."

"It was a dud," he said.

"Aye," I answered with a pause, "That is was. I'd lost my husband and any hope of raising a clan of my own."

"Is that when you started drinking?"

"I started drinking well before that," I said, "Scotch was not a stranger to me, growing up in Scotland."

"But is that when you started drinking a lot?" he clarified.

"Aye," I answered and looked down at him, "That's when it all started. When the drink became a regular part of my nightly life."

"You really don't have to, you know," he said and scooted his way closer to me until he sat beside me, "You have a clan now. With all of us. We're all in this together. You don't have to try and find an answer alone, even if you are smarter than the rest of us."

Krypto walked over and laid himself down ontop of my lap. I chuckled at the sight of this monstrous beast overtaking my lap. I placed my talon on his back and looked down to Markl.

"Smarter perhaps," I said, "But not wiser. I believe you may have me beaten there, lad."

"Actually, I think Silverbolt has us all beat there," he corrected, "He was the leader of a clan after all, and whether he knows it or not, I think he might be helping in leading this one."

"Aye, I think ye might be right," I chuckled and then looked back down to Krypto, "Markl, would you go to the screen and read the last question? I appear to be pinned down at the moment."

"Sure," he said as he hopped to his feet and ran to the computer. "Queery 20: Are you feeling better now?"

I cracked a smile, for the program had once again succeeded in doing what I had intended it to do.

"Aye, computer," I answered to it, "Much better."

"Session code QA-20 successful," Markl read aloud, "Program terminating. Restarting default primary program."

He stepped away from the computer and back to me. I smiled at him, petting the beastie in my lap.

"What was all that, Mac?" he asked.

"Something I invented for myself," I answered, "For times like this when I have no answers. Simply put, lad, it's to give me questions that I can answer."

"Does it stop the terrible things from happening?" he asked.

"No," I answered, "But it does help me feel better."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Gold Demona)

I sat at the edge of the roof, looking over the sea. The sky was really cloudy, so the moon and the stars weren't visible. It made the sea look like a big black blob with only the lights of the city reflecting on it.

"There you are," I heard Jigen call from behind me.

I turned around and saw an image of some other man wearing Jigen's suit and hat.

"I ran my cloaker down," he said, "So I borrowed one of Mac's."

"Where did you go?" I asked as I got up and ran to meet with him.

"To find a way to buy you guys some time," he said.

"Buy us some time?" I repeated, "So you know?"

He nodded.

"So did you find a way?" I asked.

He nodded again, smiling at me.

"What are you planning to do?" I asked, not feeling comfortable with the way he smiled.

"Don't worry," he said, pulling me closer, "I won't let you go under so quickly. I'll at least give you enough time to come up with a real solution. One that'll actually make everything better. I won't leave you again, not after what happened the last time."

"But how are you going to do that?" I asked.

"You'll see," he said

"I don't like not knowing, Jigen," I said and pushed myself away from him, "What are you planning to do?"

"I can't tell you just yet," he said.

"Why not?" I asked.

"Because it's something personal," he said, "I need to go through with this alone. Then after it's all said and done, I can talk about it."

I glared up at him, trying to think of what he could've been up to.

"Gold, don't look at me like that," he said, "I promise I'll tell you everything when this is done."

"And when will that be?"

"Friday," he said, "I'll be going back to where I went tonight, and when I come back everything will be clear."

I was going to say something when I noticed something small and white drifting down in front of my face. I looked up and saw that there were many more drifting down from the sky.

"It's snowing," I realized out loud.

"This early in the year?" Jigen asked looking up as well, "We barely got into fall."

"This year's been colder than usual," I said, "Maybe winter's starting early."

"Hmm," he replied as he reached into his jacket and pulled out his pack of cigarettes. He looked inside and then frowned.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Only two left," he said and put the pack back in his jacket, "Better save 'em for when I really need 'em."

I brought myself closer to him, wrapping my arms and wings around him under his jacket.

"A little cold are we?" he asked, looking down at me.

He grabbed the edges of his jacket and closed it behind me, buttoning it shut and trapping me inside. I looked up at him and smiled.

"As long as we can be together," I said to him, "I don't care what happens. I can go through this knowing you'll be with me."

"You know I ain't going anywhere," he said with a grin, "I didn't come all this way just to turn around and leave you again."

I smiled and then pressed my face to his warm chest, being careful not to poke him anywhere with my horns. He put his talon behind my head and pressed me closer.

"I love you," he said.

"I love you, too," I replied.

We stayed like that for the next few hours, enjoying the cold touch of each snowflake that landed on us. Being in his arms made me feel like all my problems were far away. I wanted to stay like that forever, but I knew it would eventually have to end and I'd have to go back to the problems of real life.

"But not yet," I thought in comfort, "Let's enjoy this while we can."


	16. Chapter 15: Show Me The Money

Gold Demona

**Chapter XV**

Show Me The Money

(Inspector Zenigata)

(Two days later...)(October 3, 2110 A.D.)

We finally arrived at the city of Volgograd Prime. It was certainly a lot bigger than Paradigm City. There were a lot more tall buildings, although they all seemed dwarfed with the Capital building towering way over all of 'em at the city's center. We had just gotten off the bus and were walking on our way to the place Mac told us to go.

"This is some place, ain't it?" I said to Kim, who had been my travelling partner for the past few days. "If this place wasn't closed off to gargoyles, this would definitely be a place Lupin would look into. Although if he REALLY wanted somethin' here, he wouldn't let that stop 'im."

"Ugh…" I heard Rufus groan from Kim's belt pouch. "Not again."

"This is SO not the time for that," she said in annoyance, "We need to find Jake's place and get you there safely so I can get back to my own life."

"And what's got YOUR panties in a knot?" I asked, noting her tone.

"Ever since we left Paradigm City, it's been 'Lupin this' and 'Lupin that' nonstop day and night. I swear, Inspector, is Lupin the ONLY thing you think about?"

"Just about," I answered, "He's been my sole assignment for several years now. It's become my life's mission to capture 'im and bring 'im to justice."

"Yeah, I know. You've told me that like a million times on this trip. You obsess over him like it's the most important thing in the world."

"To me, arresting Lupin IS the most important thing in the world. Well, most of the time anyway. Right now it's more important to bring the goings on here to the rest of the world."

"Well, we're here," she announced as she turned to one of the smaller buildings in the city. "Finally."

"This is it, huh?" I said as we walked in.

We stepped into the elevator, and Kim pushed one of the buttons. I blinked for a moment when I realized that we were going down.

"I thought the apartments were all upstairs," I said.

"Jake lives in the basement," she answered. "It's the only place he could rent around here where he could really set up his base."

"Hmm," I replied as the elevator stopped and the doors opened.

The hallway was barely big enough for the two of us to step out of the elevator before getting to the door, which was just a simple metal door. Kim knocked on it as soon as the elevator doors were shut.

After a moment, Jake opened the door and smiled at us.

"Ay, there ya are, luv," he greeted, "Was beginnin' ta wonder if you were ever gonna make it."

"We got delayed at Aiuto," Kim said, "Fio insisted that we stay for dinner."

"It was really good, too," I added.

"I don't doubt it, mate," Jake replied, "Fio's a great cook as well as bein' a genius mechanic."

"Jake!" Rufus greeted as he hopped out of Kim's pouch and climbed up onto her shoulder.

"Ay, Rufus," Jake greeted back, "How's loife been treatin' ya?"

"Mm-Mmm Good," he said with a thumbs-up, "Boo-ya!"

"That's good ta hear, mate," Jake replied, returning the thumbs-up. "Kim, will you be stayin' long?"

"As much as I'd love to, Jake, I can't," she said with a shrug, "I really have to get back home before my parents go into total berzerker mode. If that happens I can kiss good-bye any chances I had of being allowed to go to the Homecoming dance."

"Heh, of course," Jake said, "You and your teenage priorities. Well, as always, it was a pleasure seeing ya, luv."

"Same here, Jake," Kim waved and turned back around, "Good luck, Inspector."

"Thanks," I said and waved to her, "Bye."

"Bye!" Rufus said, waving to us as Kim stepped back into the elevator.

"Take care o' yourselves," Jake said as the doors shut and they were gone.

"Well then, mate," Jake said and put his hand on my shoulder, "I guess it's just you and me then."

"I guess it is," I replied and followed him inside to the living room.

As soon as I walked in, I could tell that this place wasn't originally built to be an apartment. A lot of the floor was the plain concrete you'd normally see in a basement. Only the kitchen and the bathroom had some tile covering ontop of the concrete. The walls seemed quickly strewn together, just barely enough to separate all the rooms.

"Lemme give you the grand tour," Jake said as he led me around the apartment. "This here of course is the living room, with the kitchen off to the roight and the bathroom up ahead. And down this hall here, we got our sleeping quarters."

I followed him down the hall as he pointed to each of the two doors we passed and explained each one.

"This room's mine," he said, "This next room was made in case I got me a daytime roommate. Good thing, too. It'll be your room from now on."

"I get my own room?" I asked, blinking at him.

"Of course, mate," he said and opened the door, "With a bed and everything."

I looked inside. It was a simple bedroom with a bed, a nightstand, and a dresser. In all my time chasing Lupin, I could rarely afford a comfortable place to sleep. Having a room of my own was a strange concept to me.

"It's nothin' fancy, mind you," he said, "Bein' an officer of the ICPO, I'm sure you're used to much better living arrangements."

"Not really," I replied, "This is better than what I'm used to. Heck, my sleeping arrangements in Paradigm were better than what I'm used to, and they had me sleepin' on their couch."

"Well, here you'll have a bed," he chuckled as he shut the door and moved on, although the only place left to go was the wall at the end of the hall.

He put his hand up on part of the wall, and a small keypad appeared underneath where he put his hand. He entered a code, and the wall slid aside, revealing two more doors further down the hall.

"And this room's the statue room," he said, "My computer's in there, so if you want to talk to anyone else on our network, there it is. I'm sure you can figure out what the room's for, mate."

"Duh," I replied.

"Been talkin' to Kim, have you?" he replied.

Realizing what I'd just said, I covered my mouth with my talon.

"Er, um, I mean, uh," I stuttered, "Well, yeah. I know what it's for. Dang kid, rubbin' her teenage talk on me."

When I looked closely I noticed that a few feet after the door to the statue room, the wall was different. It looked a lot more solid and better built than the rest of the walls. I looked in that direction and saw that the door in this wall was made of some really thick metal, like the door to a bank vault.

"What's that room there?" I asked, pointing to the metal door.

"Oh that?" he replied as he turned to look at it. "It's an empty room. Nothin' for you to worry about."

"But that doesn't make any sense," I said, "Why have an empty room that's built better than all the other rooms?"

"Loike I said, mate," he replied as he turned me away from it and opened the door to the statue room, "Nothin' for you to worry about."

We stepped into the room and he walked over to the computer in the corner. I looked around and noticed a map of New Liberty pinned up on the wall next to the computer. There were large brightly colored pins on various places on the map, including Paradigm City and Volgograd Prime.

"I take it the pins mark the route of the Crimson Pig Express," I commented to Jake as he fiddle with the computer.

"Not all of it, mate," he replied, "Only half of it's the Crimson Pig, which is in charge of the west side of the map."

"But we're on the east side," I pointed out, "If you're not part of the Crimson Pig Express, then what is it?"

"Mac and the others on the west have their Crimson Pig Express," he said, "We on the east side have the Rescuers Railway."

"The Rescuers Railway," I repeated.

"There we go," he said as he pushed a last button and a face showed up on the screen.

The face was that of a chubby man with dark gray hair, wearing a red sweater and a brown cap.

"Hey, Jake," the man greeted, "What's going on?"

"Hey Berno," Jake greeted, "How's the wife doin'?"

"First of all, it's Bernard," the man retorted, "Not Berno or Bernie. Bernard. Second of all, Bianca's fine."

"I know she's fine, mate," he replied with a grin, "I asked how she was doin'?"

"This isn't the time for jokes, Jake," Bernard said, "It hasn't been easy for us. This mission has us stationed over a hundred miles apart."

"Don't you worry, Bernie."

"Bernard," he retorted.

"I'm sure the good boss'll foind someone to take 'er place and she can go over to where you are."

"I certainly hope so," he said, "Or better yet, if we finish this mission soon so we can all go home and not have to worry about any of it."

"If you're afraid of the job, mate, you should've just STAYED home."

"I would have, but Bianca insisted on volunteering to come here, and I can't just let her do this alone. You know how she is about this sort of thing."

"Yeah, that woman astounds me at times," Jake said, "You're one lucky guy, mate. Don't let her go."

"I don't intend to," he said and then looked over to me, "Who's this?"

"This is Inspector Zenigata of the ICPO," Jake answered, pointing to me, "He came to scoop up some dirt on this country's activities to take out with 'im."

"Well, that's the first real good news I've heard since we came here," he replied, "So the ICPO is finally looking into this, are they?"

"Well, actually. I landed here completely by accident," I admitted, "You see I was in the middle of transporting some notorious criminals when my helicopter was attacked by Hunters."

"That's rough, mate," Jake said, "It's a good thing you found Mac's crew when ya did, eh?"

"Well, it was more like they found me," I said.

"Either way," Bernard said, "It's good to know we have somebody looking into the deeper parts of this whole problem while we try to save the people in trouble here."

"I swear to you," I said and did a solute, "On my word as a Detective of Interpol that I won't rest until I have enough evidence to take with me to the United Nations."

"Then our prayers will be with you," Bernard said with a smile, "I'm sorry to cut this short, Jake, but I've got things to do. Bianca just found some survivors and sent them my way, so I have to be ready for when they arrive."

"Alroight then," Jake said, "I'll catch ya later, then."

"I'll see you later," Bernard replied, "And Jake."

"Yeah, Bernie?" he replied, tilting his Australian hat.

"Bernard," he insisted, "Don't do anything too reckless, okay?"

"Hey, you know me, mate," Jake replied with a wide grin on his face.

"Yes, I do," he replied, "That's why I'm worried."

"Alroight, mum. I'll be careful." Jake said, "Tell Bianca I said hello."

"I will," he said and then looked to me, "It was nice meeting you, Inspector."

"Same here," I nodded.

And with that the screen went blank.

"I didn't realize this network had so many people working in it," I said.

"Just enough to put less than five hours between a gargoyle and a safe place," Jake answered, "Have to cover the entire country, mate. And this country's not a small one."

"An operation like this must cost a fortune," I pointed out.

"Onley a small fortune," he said, "But a small fortune's not much for someone like Mr. Xanatos."

"Xanatos?" I repeated. "As in Alexander Fox Xanatos?"

"That's the one, mate," he replied, "He's the initial sponsor and the chief mastermind behoind all this. You didn't know that?"

"No, I didn't," I said. "Nobody ever mentioned him."

"Well, I foind that baffling," he said.

"Why's that?"

"Well, come to think of it," he chuckled, "I guess you wouldn't figure it out if they never mentioned it, since she's going by another name."

"What?" I replied, thoroughly confused by what he said, "Who?"

"I'm sorry about that," he said, "It's just I found it funny that you never found out about Xanatos' involvement in all of this, especially since you've been rooming with his granddaughter this whole time."

"His granddaughter?" I repeated, blinking for a moment as I thought, "Wait a minute! You don't mean Vaala, do you?!"

"Roight-o," he said. "I'd say her disguise is perfect if it managed to fool someone such as yerself, who can pick out a master of disguise in a crowd."

"I never even suspected," I said, "It makes perfect sense now. She dyed and cut her hair and uses the name Marsaille instead of Xanatos. Why didn't I see it before?"

"Your mind was probably on other things," he said and started walking to the door, "This makes me feel more at ease about having her here with us. If even you couldn't pick out her disguise, she's not likely to be caught."

"Well, from what I've seen," I replied as I followed him out to the hall, "She hasn't been caught yet. I'd say she's safe."

"That's good," Jake said as he stopped at the door to my room. "I'm sure after the long trip you just had, you'd like some rest. I'll assume you'll want to start your investigative work as of yesterday."

I let out a big loud yawn just as he finished saying that. I tucked my claw under my hat to reach an itch on my head.

"Yeah, I'd like to start looking into this as soon as possible," I replied and chuckled as opened the door. "But right now some sleep sounds like a good idea."

"Before ya do," he said, stopping me as I started to walk in.

"What?" I replied.

He gave me a slanted Australian smile and raised his hand for me to shake, "Good ta have ya aboard, mate. I hope you foind what yer after."

"Thanks," I said as smiled back and I shook his hand, "So do I."

"If there's anything I can assist ya with," he said, "Don't hesitate to let me know about it. I'll give you all the help I can."

I nodded and continued into the room that was to be mine. I looked down at the bed I was going to be sleeping on during my stay, and I smiled.

"This is where it really begins," I thought to myself, "The real work starts here. Moments like this are what define us, and I have to be ready for ready for anything."

"Oh and, by the way," Jake said suddenly as he poked his head into the room.

"Ah!" I screamed as I jumped ten feet. "What?"

"Geez, you're jumpier than Berno," he said, "Anyway, I just wanted ta tell you to make yerself at home, cuz until you finish investigating, this place should be home to you."

"Oh uh, thanks," I replied, relaxing my jumpy nerves.

"No worries," He replied and disappeared again, shutting the door.

I took off my trench coat and jacket and set them on the dresser. I laid myself down on the bed and shut my eyes.

"Home, huh?" I thought. "Haven't had one of those in years."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Boober)

"I know what I have to do," I thought to myself as I prepared to leave for work.

I looked at myself in the mirror as I finished giving my face its long overdue shave. I rubbed my long chin with my talon to make sure I didn't miss anything.

"That's much better," I thought to myself, "I'll have to hold off on re-dying my hair until we can afford it. Although the way things are going, my hair will probably be all black again by the time that happens."

I put my razor away and washed any leftover bits of hair off my face. I walked out of the bathroom and started making my way out of the apartment.

"Going out tonight, Boober?" I heard Red ask as I got to the front door.

I looked over to her. She was sitting on the couch with the TV remote in her talon.

"Yes," I answered and turned my cloaker on, "Yes I am."

"Where to?" she asked, "Maybe I'll come too."

"No, it's nowhere interesting," I said and waved my talon at her as I opened the door and started walking out.

"Booberrrrr," she growled, stopping me on the spot.

"Yes Red?" I replied.

"Where are you going?" She insisted.

"I'm just going out for some air," I retorted, "It's not something you'd be interested in doing. I'll be back later."

I continued through the door, down the hall, and down the elevator.

"Why did I lie to her?" I asked myself as I stepped out of the apartment building. "I've never lied to her before. Not like this."

I looked to the sky and saw snowflakes falling down. I looked down to where they were falling and saw snow covering everything that wasn't a street or a walkway.

"Maybe I'm afraid of what everyone will think about me having a job," I thought to myself. "Or what Red will think about me singing again. Although if that's the case, then what am I afraid of? If anything, news like that would make her happy, especially at a time like this when everything looks hopeless."

I looked ahead and I could see the nightclub slowly drawing closer.

"But then again," I continued my train of thought, "If I do tell her about this, she might start bugging me about rejoining the band, and I'm not sure if I'm ready to go back to all that just yet. So it would probably be better if she doesn't know about this. For the time being, anyway. Until I think the time is right for her to know."

I walked through the door of the club, and there was Rafiki tending the bar.

"Good evening, Freddie," he greeted.

"Freddie?" I replied in confusion, but then I remembered, "Oh yeah, that's my stage name."

"Yes, dat's right," he replied, "How are t'ings going wit' you?"

"Well, things could be better," I answered.

"I'm sorry to hear dat," he replied, "Boht remember, Freddie, dat no matter how bad t'ings may seem, dey can always be worse."

"I suppose you're right," I said.

"I am certain dat I am right," he said, "But dat's enough of dat. You have to get to work. Go ahead to deh dressing room. Your program is sitting on deh stool."

"Right," I replied and stepped into the back area.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Silverbolt)

"He's hiding something. I just know it," Red ranted as she repeatedly smashed the buttons on the television remote.

I sat at the kitchen counter while Vaala and Gold prepared breakfast for everyone.

"Why are you so upset about it?" Gold asked.

"Because I don't like it when he keeps secrets from me," Red answered, quickly turning her head in our direction, her red pigtails bouncing with every movement she made.

"It's not like he's doing anything illegal," Vaala said, "Well, illegal within reason anyway."

"I know that!" Red replied, "I've known him my whole life. You think I wouldn't know that? I just can't stand him keeping secrets from me."

"It's not like he's telling any of us either," Gold pointed out. "I don't really blame him for keeping to himself, after that whole thing with Sidebottom."

"Gold, don't even MENTION that name again," Red growled, "Ever since that night he showed up, Boober's been a lot more secretive. He won't tell me anything about anything. What reason could he possibly have to not tell me anything?"

"Perhaps he needs space," I entered, "And some time to be by himself and reflect on what has happened and why it happened the way it did."

"Then why go out so much to do it?" she replied, "When the roof is a perfectly good place for stuff like that."

"Cuz Gold and Jigen are always up there smooching," Vaala made fun, pointing her spatula at Gold.

"Hey! That's not true!" Gold spat back, "We're not ALWAYS up there smooching."

"Well, for at least five hours a night," Vaala replied. "And when you're not smooching up there, you're smooching down here."

"We are not!" Gold replied.

"Well, you're right about one thing, Vaala," Red said. "If I wanted a place to think, I know I couldn't do it with smooching in the background."

"We're NOT always smooching!" Gold protested, swinging her spatula up.

"Hey! Be careful with that!" Vaala yelled, pointing to Gold's pan, "We can't afford for you to be throwing bits of egg on the floor!"

"Ah! Sorry," Gold replied and went back to her cooking.

"And yes, you are always smooching," Vaala continued.

"We are not!" Gold yelled back.

"Ladies, please!" I intervened, raising my talon to my head. "It's enough to give a gargoyle a headache."

"Well, she started it," Gold replied, pointing her spatula at Vaala, sending some pieces of scrambled egg flying in her direction.

"Gold!" Vaala yelled and quickly moved her frying pan to catch it. "What did I just say?!"

"Geez, I'm sorry!" Gold replied. "At least you caught it."

"Good thing I did, or I would've killed you," Vaala replied.

"Would you two quit it?!" Red yelled, "It's at the point where I can't hear the TV over you two, and you sound like a pair of hatchlings."

"Hatchlings threaten to kill each other?" Vaala asked out of curiosity.

"I know I did," Red answered. "Just about every night I'd threaten somebody's life, usually Boober or Jigen. Or both if they pissed me off enough. But I broke that habit real fast after the other kids figured out I never really meant it. There was only one kid that ever threatened me back."

As she finished saying that, the television swung aside, and Jigen stepped out from behind it.

"And there he is now," Red said with a grin, pointing the remote at Jigen.

"What?" Jigen replied, with a look of confusion on his face as he shut the door behind him.

"Remember when we were kids, and I'd always threaten to kill everybody?" Red asked him.

"Yeah, and I knew from the beginning that it was total crap," he answered. "So I threatened back."

"You used death threats to get your way?" I asked Red.

"Of the children in my clan, there were only two girls," she answered, "Me and Mokey."

"And all the kids in my clan were males," Jigen added.

"Mokey, ever the artist, usually kept to herself with some paper and crayons, and she was happy with that. Me, I always had to be the center of attention."

"OH yeah," Jigen agreed as he sat at the counter with me, "You weren't happy if all the attention wasn't on you, and you threatened to kill anyone that tried to take the spotlight away."

"Well, it wasn't my fault that you boys weren't interested in what I had to say," Red replied, "Ignoring everything I said just because I was a girl."

"No, it was because you were an obnoxious brat," Jigen corrected. "And you still are."

"Yeah well, and you've always been an ass," she replied. "So there."

"Now who sounds like a hatchling?" Vaala and Gold asked in unison and then immediately pointed to each other.

"Jinx!" They both said in unison, "Jinx! Jinxjinxjinxjinxjinx..."

"This could go on a while," Jigen said and turned away from them as they kept going. "So where's Boober at?"

"We don't know," I answered, "And this lack of knowledge seems to have Red on the verge of rage."

"What are you talking about?" he replied, "She's ALWAYS on the verge of rage."

"You'll be seeing even more rage if those two don't stop 'jinxing' each other," Red replied.

"Jinxjinxjinxjinx…" They still went.

"Hey, those eggs are gonna burn if you keep that up," Jigen said to them.

"Oh yeah," Gold said and turned her attention back to her frying pan.

"Jinx!" Vaala said, "Ha! I win! You owe me a soda!"

Gold raised a brow at her and turned around to the refrigerator. She took out a can of soda and handed it to her.

"There you go," she said.

"I mean when we can afford it," Vaala said and handed the can back.

"We'll both probably forget about it by then," Gold replied and put it back where it was.

"Yeah, probably," Vaala agreed and took two large plates out of the cabinet.

Gold lifted her pan from the stove and pushed all of the egg onto one of the plates. Vaala followed suit with the second plate.

"Food's done," Vaala announced as she and Gold lifted their respective plates and began walking out of the kitchen with them. "We'll split it in the dining room."

"Finally," Red replied as she turned the television off and followed the rest of us down to the dining room for breakfast.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Boober)

I stood on the stage with the microphone in my talons. I had just finished my eighth song of the evening, the last one before my break. The audience applauded as I bowed and stepped off the stage and into the back hallway. I exited to the bar and sat on one of the stools.

"Anodah excellent performance," Rafiki complimented as he wiped clean the beer mug in his hands.

"Yeah, you're sounding great tonight," Luna agreed from her place in the back of the bar.

"If you say so," I said with a shrug, "I think I could've done better."

"Yes, I won't argue wit' dat. You could have done bettah," he agreed. "You seem distracted tonight. Is somet'ing troubling you, Freddie?"

"Just more troubles at home," I answered, crossing my arms on the bar counter.

"Well if it helps you feel bettah, tonight is payday," he said with a grin.

"Payday?" I repeated.

"Yes, you get your first paycheck tonight," he said, "What, you t'ought you wouldn't get paid to do your work?"

"Well, yes," I replied, "I mean, no. I mean, I didn't expect to get my first paycheck so soon. This is only my first week."

"Well, we run on a slightly different system from what most other people use," Luna answered.

"And what kind of system is that?" I asked out of curiosity.

"Dat's not somet'ing you need to be worrying about," Rafiki answered.

Luna then walked up to me with a glass of iced tea in her hand, placing it down on the counter in front of me.

"Here," she said with a smile, "I promise it's not spiked."

"Heh, thank you," I chuckled as I picked up the glass and sipped it, "Don't you sing too, Luna?"

"Of course I do," she answered. "Just not every night. Singing is only part-time work. I sing on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. Belldandy gets to sing Thursdays and Sundays. The singing is kept part time so the regulars have some variety throughout the week. Every once in a while, we'll be assigned to sing on the same days, usually on special occasions. Singing alone isn't enough to pay my bills, so I help tend the bar on the nights I'm not singing."

"I see," I replied as I took another drink from my glass.

When I put the glass back down, a thin man burst into the front door of the club. He had pale skin and bright red hair that spiked up ontop and had a long rattail coming out at the bottom. He wore an opened black jacket and a white suit shirt loose over a pair of dark jeans and a pair of goggles strapped to his forehead. He walked up to the bar and leaned on the counter.

"Yes, what can I do for you?" Rafiki greeted.

"Hey there," the man greeted back, "You the manager here?"

"Dat's correct," Rafiki answered.

"Good to meet you. Name's Reno," the man introduced, "I'm here for the singing job."

"I'm afraid you came too late for dat, my friend," Rafiki replied, "Deh auditions were held earlier dis week."

"I'm not here to audition," the man insisted, "I'm here to sing. I've been in this place before, and it's a total drab. What it needs is some pizzazz, and I can provide that to you. Let me on that stage tonight, and I promise you won't be disappointed."

"I'm sorry, boht all singing positions are filled," Rafiki insisted, starting to sound annoyed as he crossed his arms.

"Dude! Come on!" Reno replied, "There's nobody up there right now! One song, that's all I ask. If you still haven't changed your mind after that, then I'll walk out and leave you alone."

Rafiki gave him a long hard look.

"Just let him go up, Rafiki," Luna said, "Freddie doesn't go back up for another ten minutes, so that's plenty of time for one extra song. Let's see what he has for us."

Rafiki looked back at Luna, raising an eyebrow at her. He started whispering to her, and she whispered something back. They whispered to each other back and forth until finally Luna stepped back and Rafiki turned back to the man, giving him a hard stern look.

"You said your name was Reno, correct?" Rafiki asked.

"Yes sir," he said, straightening himself up.

"One song," Rafiki said, "If it is acceptable, I will let you stay. Choose your song wisely, Reno, because I will not give you anodah chance."

"Mua!" Reno replied, blowing a kiss to Luna, "Thank you."

He then pulled a music disk out from his jacket pocket.

"I promise you won't regret it," Reno said as he turned around and ran over to the stage.

"Dis will not end well," Rafiki said, arms still crossed.

"I don't see the harm in giving him a chance," Luna said. "I don't think it would hurt to have one more male singer."

"Dat's not what I am worried about," he replied.

"Then what is it?" I asked.

He looked back at me, and then back at Reno.

"I'll go help him set up," Luna said as she ran over to the stage.

"Do you think he'll be any good?" I asked.

"His talent is noht what concerns me," Rafiki replied, keeping his gaze on the stage.

"Then what--" I began.

"You just concentrate on doing your job, Freddie," he interrupted before I could finish my question, turning his gaze at me. "After Reno is finished you can go back to deh stage and finish your shift."

"Uh, of course," I said as Luna walked up to the microphone.

"Ladies and gentlemen," she said, "There's been a last minute addition to the program this evening. Don't worry, Freddie will be back up in just a moment, but first let's give a warm welcome to Reno."

The audience applauded as Luna stepped off the stage and Reno took the microphone. A guitar chord strummed on the speakers, and he started to sing.

"Well, since my baby left me," he sang and made quick movements with his legs and swinging the microphone left and right as the guitar strummed two beats.

"I found a new place to dwell," he continued and repeated the movements.

"Its down at the end of Lonely Street at Heartbreak Hotel," He continued as the guitar played along with his singing.

"Well, he's not bad," I commented and sipped my iced tea.

"Yes, he does have talent. I will give him dat much," Rafiki agreed, "Boht again, dat's not what concerns me. I jost hope singing is all dat he intends to do here."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Markl)

Mac and I had just finished our breakfast, and I was watching her work on the computer. We were scanning the country for gargoyles, one region at a time. Mac had just sent the scanner to a new region when the door opened and Jigen stepped in.

"Hey, Jigen," I greeted.

"Hey kid," he greeted back, "Hey Mac, I got a favor to ask."

"Whot ken Ah do for ye, lad?" she replied.

"Could I borrow the table space for a bit?" he asked as he took out his gun. "Gotta give the Magnum a cleanup."

"Aye, goo ahid," she answered and got up from her chair, "Ah'll johst hafta moove a few thengs."

She took some stuff off the table to clear a space for him. He sat down on the extra chair and set his gun on the table.

"Sorry to bother you some more," he said, "But you got any pipe cleaners and rubbing alcohol?"

"Aye," she answered and got a bottle and some long brushy sticks out of the drawers. "Well thes wark far ye?"

"Yeah, these'll work," he said and took them, "Thanks."

"Ehf ye nehd ehnythin ilse, johst ahsk," Mac said as she sat back down on her chair and went back to watching the screen.

I used Krypto as a step so I could see better over the edge of the table. I watched Jigen as he took his gun completely apart, laying all the little pieces neatly aside and cleaning each one.

"That's a lot of pieces," I pointed out. "How do you remember how it all goes back together?"

"Years of practice," he answered.

"How often do you have to clean it?" I asked.

"Just about every night," he answered, sticking the brushy stick inside one of the holes in the gun, "Take care of your weapon, and your weapon'll take care of you. This gun's been good to me for the past twenty years, and that's because I've been good to it."

"Twenty years?" I repeated, "That's almost how old I am. I'm twenty-one."

"Heh, if you were a human, you'd be old enough to drink some real drinks," he chuckled. "Not that it stopped me."

"But I'm not a human," I said, "And if I was, I'd actually be ten and a half."

"Well, at any rate, the gun's actually a lot older than you are," he replied and continued cleaning, "I've only HAD it for twenty years."

"Thaht firearm ehs ooldar than I am, lad," Mac said to me. "Eht wos mehd ehn tha med twintieth cintury."

"Woah," I replied, "That's really old. So it must be worth a lot, huh?"

Jigen finished cleaning and quickly put the gun back together. He twirled it on his claw and put it back in the holster on his belt.

"Thanks for the workspace, Mac," he said to Mac and picked up the brushy sticks, "And the supplies."

"Aye, no prohblem," she answered as he turned to the door.

He threw the brushy sticks into the trashcan as he passed it and walked out the door. I looked up at Mac.

"He didn't answer my question," I said.

"Heh sehms oot ohf sorts tanight," Mac replied, "Mohst hahve sohmtin ohn hes mind."

"Like maybe the money problems?" I asked.

"Pohssebleh," Mac answered, "Thaht could very will beh eht, baht oonleh heh knoos far sartain."

"Hmm," I said and looked at the door again.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Boober)

"You'll be so lonely, you could die," Reno sang and the guitar strummed the last few chords.

The crowd applauded as he bowed and jumped off the stage. He came running back to the bar and leaned on the counter.

"So," he said. "Am I in or what?"

"Your performance was good, I will grant you dat," Rafiki replied, "And deh song you chose was acceptable."

"Yes yes, and?" Reno asked impatiently. "What's the verdict?"

"Give me a few nights to t'ink about it," Rafiki replied, "If I cahn open a space in deh program for you, you're in."

"What?!" he burst, "Open a space?!"

"Dat's right," Rafiki replied, "I already have a good number of singers here, and dey take up a good portion of deh program. As a matter of fact..."

He then turned his gaze to me.

"I have to get back to the stage," I said and started to get up.

"Wait a second," Reno said as he put his hand on my shoulder and pushed me back down onto the stool, "You mean to tell me that this dork here is that Freddie guy you mentioned earlier?"

"You will let go of my employee, sir," Rafiki said, giving him a hard look, "Or any chahnce you had of being hired here will disapeah."

"Okay," Reno replied as he quickly lifted his hand away.

As he did, I could feel him bump my wing with his hand. Out of reflex, I dropped them down below my arms, worried he may have noticed. I looked up at him, and found him reaching up where his hand had bumped.

"What the hell?" he asked.

"Is somet'ing deh matter, Reno?" Rafiki asked.

"Uh, nothing," he said and started walking past me and towards the door, "Just thought I felt something."

I was about to get up when I suddenly felt a sharp pain at the end of my tail.

"Ah---!" I yelped and pulled my tail down under my stool.

"Freddie?" Luna responded to my yelp, "Are you ok?"

"Yes, I'm fine," I lied, putting my talon on my stomach, "Must've been something I ate earlier tonight."

"Cahn you still go up on stage?" Rafiki asked.

"Yes," I answered and got up from my stool, "I'll go and finish my shift."

I looked up at Reno, and he just glared back at me. It was a glare that sent chills running up my spine and into my wings. I had to look away as I walked to the back hallway and shut the door behind me.

"I have to be more careful," I thought as I made my way down the hall, "He might have discovered me."

I walked slowly to let my heart rate slow down. I took deep breaths to try to relax myself so I could perform on stage. Given what had just happened, relaxing was definitely not the easiest thing to do at the moment.

"I have to stay calm," I thought to myself and continued breathing, "Just sing the next few songs, pick up my paycheck, and go home. After that I won't have to worry about it until next Tuesday. What am I doing risking my life like this anyway? If Reno actually caught me, I could be killed. I could put everyone back home in danger."

I reached the door to the stage, took a deep breath, and went through it. Luna was at the microphone.

"And as promised," she said, "We bring back Freddie."

I walked up to the microphone and was met with a roar of applause. Hearing the crowd cheering helped me to relax.

"The stage is all yours, Freddie," Luna said and ran off.

I smiled and looked over to the audience as the music began to play for my next song.

"To be able to sing freely again," I thought, "Bringing back emotions I left behind years ago. I think it's worth the risk."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Red)

I was back in the living room, sitting on the couch and watching TV. The TV swung open, and Jigen stepped out from behind it, followed closely by Gold.

"Why can't you just tell me?" She asked as she followed Jigen out.

"I told you," he replied, annoyed with the question, "I'll tell you when I get back."

"I don't get it," she said, "What could possibly be so personal that you can't tell me about it?"

"I'll tell you when I get back," he repeated as he turned on his cloaker and opened the front door.

"But--"

"When I get back!" he interrupted as he walked out and shut the door.

"Yeah, they're definitely brothers," I said after the door was shut, "Glad I'm not the only one."

"What do you mean?" Gold asked as she turned to her.

"Neither of 'em want to say what they're doing tonight," I answered.

She walked over to the couch and sat down next to me. She leaned back on the backrest and let out a loud sigh.

"Frustrating, isn't it?" I said, "Now you see how I feel."

"It's really more worry than frustration," she said. "He said he was doing something that would help our financial situation, but that's all the information I've been able to get."

"Well, that's more than I got out of Boober," I replied.

"Yeah, but I'm worried what exactly he has in mind," she said, "Given his criminal record, it might be something dangerous."

"Or illegal," I added.

"I don't want to think about that," she replied.

"Gold, something like that you don't just break away from," she said, "A past like that has a way of sneaking up behind you. Whatever Jigen's doing, it'll most likely be something illegal."

"I really hope you're wrong about that," she said.

"So do I," I replied, "For your sake."

"Hmm," she replied.

For several minutes after that, the only sound was the sound of whatever was on the TV. I'd been flipping through the channels, so I had no idea what was on.

"How do you feel about Boober?" Gold asked out of the blue.

"What?" I replied, "What the hell kind of question is that?"

"I'm just curious," she said, "Do you like him?"

"I've known him my whole life, Gold," I replied, "He's like a brother to me. I know he wants it to be more than that. I've known for a long time how he feels about me, even before Sidebottom blurted it out. I just can't return that feeling. It's sad, really. I know that's the only reason he wanted to come here. But being here really isn't the best thing for him. He's not what you'd call the brave type."

"I knew that from the moment I met him," she said, "A bolt of lightning illuminated the cave enough for us to see each other, and he completely flipped out."

"Yeah, that sounds right," I replied and settled on a particular channel.

"We now return to Metal Gear Awesome!" the TV said.

"Hello Snake," said the Japanese girl in the Hero's communicator.

"Oh my God, Hotness! I wanna bang you!" the Hero replied.

"Oh! I can't believe I'm getting hit on by the famous Solid Snake!" The girl replied very quickly.

"Okay, shut up," he said.

I turned the TV off after that.

"That was weird," I said.

"Yup," Gold agreed.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Boober)

I finished changing and stepped out of the dressing room. Rafiki was waiting just outside the door.

"Ah!" I jumped. "Oh, I'm sorry. You scared me."

He broke into a fit of chuckles.

"Yes, I suppose I can be frightening at times," he said, "Dis is not deh first time I've received dat reaction. I need you to come wit' me to my office."

"Sure," I replied and followed him a couple doors down the hall.

We entered and he sat at the desk. He pulled out a checkbook and a pen, and began to write. That's when an idea came to my mind.

"Hey, can you make the check out to my roommate instead of me?" I asked, "She needs this money more than I do."

He looked up at me and grinned.

"Very well," he said, "Who shall be the recipient of dis money?"

"Vaala Marsaille," I said.

He nodded and finished writing on the check. He tore it out and handed it to me.

"Dhere you are, Freddie," he said, "I will see you again on Tuesday."

I nodded as I took the check and left. I looked at the amount on the check as I walked home.

"It's not very much," I thought and stuck it in my pocket, "But then I didn't work very much either. I suppose this is a good amount for six hours of work."

I walked into the apartment. Vaala was by herself in the living room watching TV.

"Hey, you're back finally," she greeted as I walked in, "Red's been bitching about you all night."

"I'll have to remember to apologize to her later," I replied as I walked up to her, "Vaala, I think I might have the solution to our problem."

"Oh?" she replied, raising an eyebrow at me.

I took the check out of my pocket and handed it to her. She looked down at it, and her eyes widened.

"Boober, where did you get this?!" She asked.

I looked around to make sure no one else was around, and I leaned closer to her.

"I got myself a job at the nightclub down the street," I whispered to her, "It's only part time, though. Just three-hour shifts for two nights a week. This check's for the work I did this week. I hope it'll be enough."

"Boober, this is a MAJOR weight off our shoulders," she said, "With this coming in every week, we'll have enough to feed everybody full meals. We still won't be able to pay for satellite TV, but we can live without it. But, Boober, this is a really dangerous risk you're taking."

"I know," I replied, "I've known it since before I applied."

"You really don't have to take this big a risk for us," she said. "I'd rather just send you away and have you be safe over the risk of you getting caught and killed."

"This is the only risk in my life I've ever been willing to take," I said, "I have a feeling that this'll be a good thing for all of us. Just do me a favor and don't tell anyone about this, okay?"

"Not even Red?"

"ESPECIALLY not Red."

"Well, I'll definitely have to tell Gold about this," she replied, "She's the one that balances the checkbook, and she'll want to know where this extra money is coming from."

"That's fine," I said, "Actually, I don't entirely care who else knows about this. Just please don't tell Red."

"Alright, I promise I won't tell Red," she replied, smiling as she stuck the check in her pocket. "Just be careful, okay? I don't want your life on my conscience."

"I will," I said with a nod, "I can promise you that."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Gold Demona)

"Why are you scanning the empty countryside?" I asked out of curiosity, noticing that the scanner was in the middle of nowhere.

"Ya nivvar knoo win thir might beh a clahn ehn an area fahr aweh frohm aneh humans," Mac answered, keeping her attention in the microscope she had on the table in front of her, "Followin' tha oold wehs ahnd levvin oot ehn tha weldarness."

"I didn't think any gargoyles lived that way anymore," I replied, "I suppose that would be like the gargoyle version of Amish people."

"Aye, eht's semelar ehn nechar ta thaht."

"Hey, Gold," Markl said, "Jigen came in here earlier to clean his gun."

"His gun?" I repeated.

"Yeah, he sat there at the table, and he took it apart and cleaned it. I watched him do it, too. It was really cool. It was like he knew what every single piece did and how they all needed to me cleaned."

"He probably does," I pointed out. "He's probably had that gun a long time."

"He said he had it for twenty years," he replied.

"Yeah, that'll do it," I said, "Own something for that long, and you'll know every inch of it."

"Aye, Ah knoo thaht will ehnough," Mac replied, still looking in her microscope, "Ah knoo evreh function ohf evreh pess ohf equepmint ehn thes lahb. Grahnted Ah belt ohl ohf eht m'silf."

"Well being a genius doesn't hurt, either," I pointed out. "What exactly are you looking at in there?"

"Yar blood," she answered.

"MY blood?" I asked.

"Aye," she said, "Compehrin' tha two sahmples Ah took frohm ye. Eht sehms tha moore Ah look enta ya, lass, tha moore cohnfusin ye git."

I rolled my eyes.

"You know it's bad when even a genius scientist can't figure me out," I groaned and started walking to the door. "I'm starting to wonder if I even HAVE any origins."

"Ah'm sure ye do, lass," she said, "Ye hahd to've cohme from sohmwhir, ahnd Ah'm gooin' ta find oot whir thaht ehs. Ahnd win Ah do, ye'll beh tha farst ta knoo eht."

"It's nice to know I've prevented you from ever getting bored," I said as I got to the door. "I'll catch you later."

"Aye, lass," Mac called back as I walked out the door and shut it behind me.

I walked into the living room and there was Vaala, talking to a familiar male, gray, beaked gargoyle. I thought for a split second that it might've been Jigen, but then I actually looked and realized it was Boober.

"Oh, it's you," I said.

"Don't tell me you thought I was Jigen," Boober retorted.

"You guys look too much alike," I said. "He's been out for the past hour and a half and I have no idea where he went. The only possible clue I have is that he said he was going where he went a couple nights ago, but that doesn't help me any at all."

"Well," Vaala said, "When he left a couple of nights ago he said he was looking for a pawnshop. I guess he found one and went back there tonight."

"A pawnshop?" I repeated, "Why?"

"I dunno," she replied.

"He did say he found a way to buy us some time," I said, trying to think. "Enough time to come up with a solution."

"What would Jigen have to pawn," Boober started, "That would be worth enough to buy you that much time?"

"His gun..." I realized out loud. "He's going to pawn his gun."

"Well, you better go stop him," Vaala said and pulled something out of her pocket. "Because Boober just brought us the solution to our problem."

"What?" I replied, "What's that?"

"My paycheck," Boober answered, "First of many. I'm working part-time at the nightclub, so we won't have to risk starving anymore."

"We just have to make sure Red doesn't find out about this," Vaala added.

"What? Why?" I asked.

"I have my reasons," Boober answered, "I just don't think now's the right time for Red to know about this."

"Alright," I said, "So where do you think he went to find this pawnshop?"

"Well, I suggested Olive Branch Trail," Vaala answered.

"O.B.T., of course," I repeated the better-known abbreviation and then turned on my cloaker as I turned for the door, "I'll be back."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Jigen)

"You're absolutely sure you want to go through with this?" Jeebs asked for the tenth time as he laid the metal briefcase down on the counter between us. "It's not too late to back down."

"Let's just get this over with," I said as I laid my gun on the counter, but kept my talon on it as he opened the briefcase to show me the cash.

With the other talon, I picked up one of the bundles and examined it to make sure it was real. When I was absolutely sure it was, I released the Magnum and pulled the briefcase closer to me.

"So that's it, then?" Jeebs said as he picked up the Magnum and set it behind him.

"Yeah," I replied as I pulled one of the bills out from the briefcase and shut it, "That's it."

"You realize now that if you want this back," he said, showing me the gun, "You're gonna have to pay the jacked up price for it."

"I'm not planning on buying it back," I said as I put the bill down on the counter, "But I will buy some of the usual cigarettes before I go."

"Sure thing," he said and bagged me a couple cases of the brand he knew I liked. "I still don't get why you're doing this. Aside from Lupin, that gun's been like yer best friend."

"I already told you, Jeebs," I replied as I picked up the paper bag and the metal briefcase. "Someone like you wouldn't get it."

I looked outside through the storefront. I turned to the door and started walking. There was a fight going on outside. A girl was being mugged, and the girl was fighting back. As I got closer to the door, the girl started to look familiar.

"What?" I droned. "It can't be."

"Can't be what?" Jeebs asked.

After a while, a gap in the muggers let me see the girl more clearly, and as soon as I saw her, my feet began to move before I even had to think about it.

"Gold!" I yelled as I ran out the door.

She was handling herself well enough, managing to knock two of the muggers unconscious, but there were still six more on her, and even for a gargoyle that's a tough fight.

I stuck the paper bag in my beak so I could grab one of the muggers and toss him aside like a rag doll. When the way was cleared, I leapt to Gold's side, and she immediately clung to me. Of course that caused all the other muggers to turn their attention to me.

"Hey, check the douche with the paper bag in his mouth," one of them said, "Thinks he's a hero."

I swung my fist and knocked him out cold.

"Hey!" another mugger yelled as he tried to leap my way.

I swung the metal briefcase around and smacked him away like a fly. I turned to the muggers that were left.

"Who elshe wansh a peesh?" I growled with the bag still in my beak.

"Woah, man. Check out his eyes," one of the scared muggers pointed out.

"What is he, part gargoyle?" another asked, also scared.

"Maybe he's a sorcerer," another said. "And he's gonna cast a spell on us!"

"I dunno man," another said and started running away, "But I don't wanna mess around here anymore."

The others followed suit and ran away like the cowards they were. I took the bag out of my beak and turned to Gold.

"What the hell are you doing here?!" I yelled. "You just about got yourself killed."

"Yeah right!" she yelled, "I CAN fight, you know. I got two of 'em before you jumped in."

"That's beside the point!" I replied, "Why are you here?"

"Would you please calm down!" she said, "Your eyes are still glowing. Do you want someone else to notice? Even under that hat, it's pretty visible."

I shut my eyes tight and took a deep breath. I let out a sigh and opened them back up.

"I'll ask again," I said. "Why are you here?"

"To try and stop you," she said. "Boober provided us with an answer."

"He did?" I replied, "How?"

"He got himself a part-time job," she answered, "So now we have a little extra income coming in. So you won't have to sell your gun."

She looked down, noticing the items in my talons.

"I'm too late, aren't I?" she asked.

I nodded, holding out to her the briefcase with the money inside.

"Even though you probably don't need it anymore," I said, "I want you to have it anyway."

"No," she replied and pushed it back towards me, "You'll need it to get your gun back."

"I can't buy it back with this money," I said, "The price will be a lot higher up. The transaction's already done and over with. I can't reverse it. It's gone, and I can't get it back. Guns can be replaced, Gold, but lives can't. I don't want us to starve, and I don't want you to go bankrupt keeping us alive. If I really need another gun, I can get one."

"But that gun was important to you, wasn't it?" she asked. "You had it for so long."

I lifted my talon that was holding the bag and gently brought it to her face.

"It was," I said, "But not as important as you are."

She held my talon and rubbed it with her face. She stopped after a second, and her face stiffened up. She brought her nose to the paper bag in my talon and sniffed at it.

"Those are cigarettes!" She said.

"Yeah, they are," I replied and let that talon drop to my side, "What, you forgot I smoked?"

She raised a brow at me. But before she could say anything, I raised my other talon and shoved the briefcase into her.

"Here," I said.

She grabbed the briefcase, but before she could shove it back to me, I let go of the handle and started walking towards home.

"Hey!" she yelled and caught up with me. "Why am I carrying the heavy thing?"

"You'd rather carry the cigarettes?" I asked.

"Well, no but--"

"Here," I interrupted and took the briefcase. "Let's just go home."

"Yeah," she as we continued down Main Street together.

She took my arm in hers and squeezed it close to her as we walked.

"So Boober's working now, huh?" I said to change the subject.

"Yeah, at that nightclub," she answered.

"The Upendi Nightclub?" I asked.

"Yeah," she answered, "He's working there part-time."

"Doing what?" I asked.

"He didn't say," she answered. "But he doesn't want Red to know anything about it."

"Hmm," I replied.

"Could he have gotten himself singing again?" I asked myself in thought, "That's the only thing that would make sense if he's keeping it from Red."

"What do you suppose it could be?" she asked.

"Who knows?" I replied, "If I know Boober, he'll probably talk when he's good and ready. After everything that's happened to him, I think he deserves some space to himself."

"Yeah," she agreed.

"I just hope he doesn't wait like I did," I thought.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Meanwhile...)

(Who?)

I sat at my desk waiting for my guest to arrive, in my office that took up the entire floor and overlooked my beautiful capital city. I knew the news would not be good, because they were sending a lower-class soldier to tell it to me. They knew better then to bring me bad news face to face. I become quite unfriendly when I am given bad news.

The elevator doors opened, revealing the quivering soldier. I smiled upon seeing him. I'd done this before and had developed my own routine for it.

"It is a privilege for a common man to visit me in my office," I said. "Please won't you come closer."

"Y-y-y-yes Sir," He stuttered and did as I asked. He walked closer until he was only a few feet away from my desk.

"What is your name, young soldier?" I asked him.

"P-p-private First Class Biggs, Your Excellency," he answered.

"Now then, Private Biggs," I chuckled, "What brings a soldier such as you here to me on this night?"

"I-I…" He stuttered and bowed before me, "I bring news from the Colonel."

"I thought as much," I said as I walked over to my private bar and picked up a bottle of Vodka. "Drink with me."

"E-excuse me?" he replied, as if he was unsure of what I had just said.

"I know my English is not perfect, Private Biggs," I said as I placed two glasses in front of me, "Russian is my first language, and I know my accent can be difficult to comprehend. But I believe I was quite clear in telling you to drink with me."

"W-w-with all due respect, Excellency," He said and carefully watched me pour the drink into the two glasses, "I don't drink."

"But I must insist," I said as I picked up both glasses and approached him. "I can assure you that this will be the only opportunity you will have to receive the honor of drinking with the Prime Ruler."

I handed him his glass as a wide grin grew on my face. I could see that he was thinking that I had poisoned the drink. I took enjoyment in letting him think that.

"A toast," I said and raised my glass, "To my glorious country. And to the destruction of all the gargoyles in it."

"H-h-here here," he replied and raised his glass.

He waited for me to begin my drink before beginning his. I drank the glass half empty, and he followed suit, taking a slow and cautious drink.

"Now then, Private," I said to him, "What is this news that you bring to me?"

He hesitated, taking a deep breath.

"I-i-it happened again, Excellency," he began, "The s-s-survivors from the last massacre just disappeared from the scanners."

"Yes, a strange thing indeed," I said, "Is there any progress to discovering how this is being done?"

"No, Excellency," he said. "We still can't figure out how they're doing this. It's like they just vanished into thin air."

"Hmm," I said.

"How are they doing this?" I thought to myself. "What sort of technology or sorcery could they be using to make themselves disappear from the scanners? Perhaps the better question would be why we are having survivors in the first place? How am I to find the one I'm searching for if our survivors disappear from sight?"

"I-i-if I may, Your Excellency," the private said, "I have duties to attend to."

"Of course you do," I replied.

He bowed and turned away. I turned to the desk and pressed one of the hidden buttons on it. He stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for his floor. As the door began to close, a barrage of gunfire shot from the front of the desk and into the elevator, showing Private First Class Biggs the reason why it was not a good idea to be the one to bring me bad news.


	17. Chapter 16: Something to Hide

Gold Demona

**Chapter XVI**

Something to Hide

(Reno)

(The Next Week...)(October 7, 2110 A.D.)

It was mid-afternoon. As usual, I was killing time in our hotel room, waiting for the day to pass. I was drinking a hot cup of coffee with two of my comrades, discussing some very important matters.

"Rude, I think you should give it up," I said to my tall, bald, and tan-skinned comrade, "You've been at that thing for days now. You're never gonna figure that thing out."

He sat across the table from me, fiddling with a Rubik's cube. He wore a dark suit and sunglasses.

"You think YOU can do better, Reno?" Rude replied, holding the multi-colored cube to me. "I'd like to see you try it."

"No thanks, man," I replied, "Puzzles make my head hurt. I'd rather not mess with 'em. If it were me, I'd just blow the thing to bits."

"That wouldn't solve the problem," he pointed out.

"No, but it would definitely make it go away," I added.

"That's always your answer to everything," Said the thin blonde lying on the bed in the corner, "Just blow it up and it'll be gone."

"Hell yeah," I replied. "Elena, you have GOT to keep up."

"Shouldn't you be getting ready?" she retorted. "Weren't you gonna go back to that nightclub tonight or something?"

"Hell yeah, I'm goin' back there," I said. "And I'm already ready. I just gotta wait till the sun's down."

"What's so important about that job anyway?" she asked, "I never figured you to be the singing type."

"Hey, we've all got our hidden talents," I replied.

"Do you actually think you have a chance of getting that job?" Rude asked.

"Probably not," I said, "The old fart that runs the joint's a lot smarter than he looks. Actually, now I'm more interested in his male singer than getting the job."

"His singer?" they both repeated.

"You mean the guy they call Freddie?" Elena asked.

"That's the guy," I said, "You know anything about 'im?"

"No, but I did hear him sing last Tuesday," she replied, "His talent's nothing to sneeze at."

"Yeah, he's got a kickass set of pipes, I'll give 'im that," I said. "But that's not what's hooked my interest."

"Oh?" Rude replied.

"What are you getting at, Reno?" Elena asked.

"The night I went and tried out," I started, "I held him down for a second, and when I lifted my hand up, it bumped into something."

"Something like what?" Elena asked.

"Like bumping into somebody's arm," I answered, "But raised up and behind his back. Funny thing is there was nothin' there to hit."

"Sure you weren't just imagining things?" Rude replied.

"I thought that might've been it," I continued, "But when I walked past him to leave, I stepped on something, and then he squealed in pain. I thought maybe I'd stepped on 'is foot or somethin', but when I looked down, there was nothin' there I could've possible stepped on."

"So what're you saying, Reno?" Elena asked, starting to sound annoyed.

"I'm saying what my hand bumped into might've been a wing," I answered, "And what I stepped on might've been a tail."

"Are you saying that guy might be a gargoyle?" Rude asked. "Wearing some kind of hologram?

"He has to be," I said, "There's no other explanation for it."

"That's a pretty serious accusation, Reno," he said, "What if you're wrong?"

"I've got a gut feeling about this," I replied, "That dude's not what he seems."

"Well, even if he is a gargoyle," Elena said, "How the hell are you gonna prove it? If he's wearing a hologram, you have to figure out where it's coming from."

"I'll figure it out," I said, taking the last sip of my coffee, "And then I'm gonna expose him as the fraudulent monster he is."

"Yeah, good luck with that," Rude replied.

"Hey," I replied, "At least I'll have better luck than you with your stupid puzzle cube."

"Rubik's cubes take time to figure out," he said, "You're rushing into things again. If you fail and fall flat on your face, it'll be your own damn fault."

"Save the 'slow and steady' lecture 'till AFTER I've exposed that freak," I replied. "Or at least until you've actually finished solving that stupid cube."

He then made one last turn on the cube and tossed it at me. I put my coffee cup down and caught the cube so it wouldn't hit my face. When I looked at it, I noticed that the colors on all the sides were solid.

"Dammit, Rude!" I said, "You tryin' to jinx me or somethin'?"

"I'm trying to tell you to be careful," he said, "If he IS a gargoyle, there's no tellin' what he'll do."

"Just so my conscience leaves me alone," Elena said, "I say Rude and I hang out somewhere nearby until Reno's done in there. If this Freddie guy actually is a gargoyle, you'll need all the help you can get. And if he's not we'll be right there to ridicule you when you come out."

"Heh, fine," I replied and put the Rubik's cube down on the table, "But just you wait. You'll regret saying that once the night is over."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Gold Demona)

"Hey Boober! Come on!" Vaala yelled as she banged on the bathroom door, "I know that beak gives you more face to shave, but the rest of us need the bathroom too, ya know?!"

"Just give me a minute!" Boober yelled back from inside the bathroom, "To do anything properly takes time! To skip anything is just unsanitary!"

"There'll be something unsanitary out here if you don't open this door!" Vaala yelled.

"Alright! Alright! There, I'm done!" He replied as he opened the door.

"Finally!" Vaala yelled as she plowed into the bathroom and shoved Boober out of it.

Jigen and I were sitting in the living room, listening to the whole thing. We stopped paying attention to what we were watching when Vaala decided she had to be louder than the TV.

"Man, she must really have to go," Jigen said as Boober straightened himself up.

"Obviously," he replied as he walked to the door.

"Off to work?" I asked.

"Yes," he answered as he turned on his cloak and walked out. "I'll be back."

"Later, Bro," Jigen said.

"Have fun," I said.

With that, the door was shut and Jigen and I were free to watch our TV again. When we went back to paying attention to what was on the screen, I realized that the show was running credits.

"It's over," I pointed out with a frown.

"Well, the show wasn't very interesting anyway," Jigen said as he clicked the TV off and got up from the couch.

"Going to smoke?" I asked.

"Yep," he answered and turned on his cloaker.

"Mind if I follow you?" I asked and got up from the couch.

"Nope," he answered with a smile as I turned on my cloaker and followed him out.

"How do you feel about this?" I asked as we started down the hall.

"About what?" he replied.

"About Boober having a job," I clarified.

"I don't really know what to think," he said as we got to the doors that led to the roof. "Boober's never been one for taking risks, especially life-threatening ones. I'm thinkin' this job must be offering something really important to him if he's willing to put his life on the line like that."

"Something like what?" I asked.

"Not sure," he replied as we got to the top of the stairs to the second door.

He opened the door and we stepped outside.

"But I do know this," he said as we walked across to the edge of the roof, reaching into his jacket for his lighter and cigarette, "He's not gonna talk about it anytime soon."

"And how do you know that?" I asked as he lit his cigarette and put the lighter away.

"Did you forget that we're twins?" he replied as he inhaled through the cigarette and huffed out a puff of smoke. "I may not have been around him in the last twenty somethin' years, but I can read him like a book. To an extent, I can sometimes tell what he's thinking. There's not a lot he can hide from me. And I know it's the same the other way around. The only reason he never figured me out before was because I was away for so long."

"Really?" I replied and then decided to test him on it, "So what's the deal with these phobias of his? Like his fear of germs and tight spaces."

"The germaphobe thing's total crap," he said, "He uses germs as a scapegoat for a lot of things. That's the reason he gives for why he shaves his face. Every once in a while, he'll come up with something else to be scared of. Really what it all comes down to is that he's scared of taking risks, and will make up any excuse not to take it, which is why I think there's something more to this job than just saving your finances."

"And what about his claustrophobia?" I asked.

"The claustrophobia, however, is genuine," he replied and puffed some more smoke, "He really is scared to death of small enclosed spaces. Heh, I'd normally joke that he probably got it from having to share an egg with me."

"Do you think that might actually be it?" I asked.

"I don't know," he said, "He's had that since before I can remember, so I couldn't tell you."

"I see," I replied as I leaned closer to him, "That must be hard."

"I imagine it would be," he replied and put his arm around my shoulder, "Life's always been hard on him, throwing him hardballs as often as possible, and he never gets time to really recover from any of it. It's a wonder he's as sane as he is right now."

"Can you guess what he might be thinking right now?" I asked.

"Nope," he answered and tossed his spent cigarette away. "Not a clue."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Boober)

"I hope that Reno has already come and gone over the weekend," I thought to myself as I finished changing. "I don't want to think about what would happen if he decided to come tonight."

I walked out the door and started walking to the stage when I suddenly felt something yank my left wing down really hard, sending me reeling backwards.

"AHHH!" I screeched as I tried to regain my balance with whatever it was keeping a firm hold on my wing. I looked up and all the blood ran from my face when I saw who it was.

"Hey there, FREDDIE," Reno greeted with mock enthusiasm, tightening his grip on my wing as a wide grin grew across his face. "If that's even your real name."

My jaw hung down, quivering uncontrollably.

"Gee, are you feeling alright? You look a little pale."

"R-r-reno," I stammered, "H-h-how did you get back here?"

"The door," he answered, "Of course, the old man and the blue-haired chick never saw me come in. Too busy with other customers."

"W-w-what do you want with me?" I stuttered.

"Oh, I think you know," he said as he yanked again on my wing, "Your kind shouldn't be taking up our job market."

He let go of my wing and started backing away.

"If you know what's good for you," he said, "You'll stay off that stage tonight."

"And if you don't want our security on you," I heard a familiar sweet voice reply from behind him, "You will leave this hallway as soon as possible."

"Who said that?!" Reno asked as he turned around to see who it was.

"Belldandy!" I called, relieved that I wasn't alone anymore.

"You have no right to talk to Freddie like that," she scolded him, "Especially since you are not authorized to be back here."

"I was just leaving anyway," he said and turned a hard glare at me.

"I'm watching you," he said as he walked past Belldandy and out to the bar.

"Boober, are you alright?" she asked as she ran up to me.

"I-I'm fine," I answered.

"You're so pale," she pointed out and reached up for my face. "And you're covered in sweat. Here, let my take a look at you."

I backed up immediately, afraid she might feel my beak.

"Boober, what happened?" she asked. "Why did he threaten you?"

"He," I began to answer, but hesitated, "He found out something about me. Something nobody should know about. Something that could get me killed if it got out."

"And he used it to threaten you," she concluded.

"I'm sorry," I said, "I don't know if I can do this."

"Boober, you can't quit now," she said, "It's only your third night on the job. I came to see you sing tonight. And Rafiki's really fond of you. He knows you're a good person, and he won't let someone like him push you around. It's his job as manager to protect his employees from such things."

"I still don't know," I said, putting my talon to my chest to feel my heartbeat, which was still racing from what had just happened, "I just--"

"Go up on the stage, Boober," she insisted, "Please? If he tries anything, we'll all be right there to stop him."

I looked at her for a long moment. She gave me a sad smile. I couldn't help but feel like she somehow knew everything about me and was trying to ensure me that everything would be fine. Her smile was so soft and gentle.

"Please, Boober?" she said. "Everyone is waiting for you."

I took a deep breath and let out a long sigh. I rubbed the back of my neck, mostly to wipe the cold sweat off of it. I looked back at Belldandy.

"Alright," I said with a slow nod, "I'll go."

Her smile became more cheerful as I finished saying that. Seeing that made me feel much better about making that choice. If it was anyone else, I don't think I would've even considered it, but there was something about Belldandy that was just difficult to resist.

"Don't worry, Boober," she said as she turned around to leave, "We'll be right there when you need us."

I smiled as she disappeared through the door at the end of the hall.

"It's funny," I thought as I turned the other way to the door at the other end of the hall, "This was almost a repeat of what happened with the band. If I had quit, I would've been repeating my own history."

I opened the door and walked out onto the stage. The audience greeted me with applause.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Reno)

I walked out of the hall and up to the bar. The old man was standing behind the counter, glaring at me.

"And what were you doing back dher, Boy?" he asked as I leaned on the counter.

"I scoped some interesting information about Freddie-boy here," I said, "Something I think you'd find quite interesting."

"If you came here to torment my employees," he said, "You cahn forget getting deh job heah."

"Man, I'm so over working here," I replied, "Especially when I found out that you have people less than human under your employ."

"What are you suggesting?" he replied.

"I'm saying this guy you call Freddie," I said, "Ain't what he seems."

"I am losing my patience, Boy," he said, "Say what you want to say and get on wit' it."

"I'm saying he's a frickin' gargoyle," I spat.

He raised an eyebrow when I said that.

"Oh really?" he replied.

"Yeah really," I replied. "What do you think of THAT?"

"I t'ink you should leave," he said, "And not come back."

Everyone suddenly started cheering, so I looked up and saw Freddie-boy up on the stage, despite my warning.

"Oh, he's gonna get it," I thought as I started my way to the stage, keeping to the wall so he wouldn't see me coming.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Boober)

The music began to play, and I began to sing. After a few bars, I saw Reno run up the stage and snatch the microphone away.

"Stop the music!" he yelled.

Then I heard some feedback, but it wasn't coming from the stage mike.

"What is deh meaning of dis?!" I heard Rafiki's voice boom on the speakers. A light shined on the bar, and I saw that he was holding a microphone connected somewhere behind the counter. Luna and Belldandy stood behind and to either side of him.

"I've got somethin' to say," he said and then pointed at me. "This 'man' is no man."

"What, are you saying he's a woman?" Someone in the audience yelled. The rest of the audience laughed at that suggestion. I found nothing funny about it, and neither did Reno.

"If only," Reno replied. "I found out somethin' about Freddie that I think everyone should know."

"No!" I thought, feeling the blood flush from my face again.

"Get on wit' it, so I can kick you out," Rafiki demanded.

"Oh no," I thought, "This is it..."

"With pleasure," Reno grinned, "This MAN is a gargoyle!"

There was a mixed reaction in the audience. Some were terrified, some were skeptical, and some didn't seem to know what to think. Rafiki, Luna, and Belldandy didn't seem to have any reaction at all.

"What kind of trick are you trying to play here, Boy?" Rafiki asked, "He has deh appearance of a man."

"He's a gargoyle, I tell you!" He insisted, "And I can prove it!"

"Alright," Rafiki replied and then snapped his fingers. "Prove it."

As he snapped, a bright spotlight shone on the stage, so if there was something to show, everyone would see it.

"Oh dear God, I'm gonna die..." I thought as sweat poured down my face.

"Heh, okay. You asked for it," Reno said and raised his hand up, as if to snatch something.

He swung his hand behind my back, as if reaching for my wings, but all he was grabbing was thin air. I'd draped my wings over my shoulders like a cape before stepping up to the stage, so I didn't expect him to get that right away. When that didn't work, he started feeling around my back and shoulders. I could feel every muscle on my body tense up as his hands combed every inch of my back.

"Nice try, freak," he said, "But that's not gonna... Wait."

His searching quickened as he didn't seem to find anything on my back.

"What the hell?!" he blurted, "Where the hell did they go?!"

"What?" I thought. "He can't find my wings?"

"What the hell is he doing?" I heard someone in the audience yell.

Then all of a sudden he moved his hands and was feeling around my butt.

"EEE!" I shrieked and jumped away, putting my talons on my butt to protect it. I heard the audience laughing as that happened, "What do you think you're doing?!"

"Yes, just what ARE you doing?" Rafiki asked.

"That's sexual harassment, buddy!" I heard someone else in the audience yell.

"Yeah! Get off the stage, you perverted freak!" Someone else replied.

Reno looked at me with bewilderment and then over to Rafiki.

"What the hell is going on, old man?!" he yelled, "Just two minutes ago, he had wings and a tail. I know! I yanked on 'em!"

When I thought about it I realized that I couldn't feel my wings and tail anymore. I rubbed my face to wipe some of the sweat off and realized that my beak was missing. I felt around my face and felt a human nose and mouth. I looked at my cloaker and saw that it was turned off.

"Just what IS going on?!" I thought as I gazed up at Rafiki, who had his glare fixated on Reno.

"I don't know what you were trying to accomplish here, Reno," Rafiki said, "But I do know dat you are disturbing deh peace of my establishment, harassing my employees, and now you have made a mockery of yourself in front of my customers. I t'ink it is time for you to leave so dat we can return to our normal lives."

"Yeah, well you're gonna have to MAKE me leave!" he yelled.

"Alright," Rafiki replied. "Luna?"

"Right away," Luna said as she ran aside to the back hall.

After a few moments, I heard series of pounding sounds, as if something heavy was walking towards us. Then the door to the back hall opened up and a very large Asian man walked up onto the stage, with Luna walking right behind him. This man was at least a foot taller than me, and looked like he was more than three times my weight. With his small, slit-shaped eyes, he glared down at Reno, who didn't seem to react at all, which I found amazing because I was shaking like a six-point earthquake. He looked like he could take one hand and crush my head like a melon.

"What, is that supposed to scare me?" he asked, looking up at the hulking beast of a man.

"Reno, I would like you to mean my bouncer, Tohru," Rafiki said with a calm smile on his face, "I only call him out when I t'ink it is absolutely necessary, and right now I believe dat is deh case."

Tohru lifted his hand, grabbed Reno by the collar of his shirt, and lifted him up.

"What, hey!" he yelled as he found himself kicking around and struggling to break from his grip. Tohru moved him aside so he could speak into the microphone.

"I t'ink you know what do do wit' him, Tohru," Rafiki said.

He closed his eyes and bowed, still holding Reno up high enough that he couldn't do anything.

"Of course, Rafiki-sama," he replied in a deep gravelly voice and rose from his bow.

He then turned to face me, causing me to react by cringing in fear. He walked up and looked down at me, and then he smiled.

"I hope that he did not cause you harm, Freddie-san," he said and bowed again.

"Be sure to give this guy what he deserves, Tohru," Luna said as she walked up from behind him.

He turned to her with a smile still on his face.

"Of course, Luna-chan," he replied and started walking away.

"You haven't seen the last of me, Monster," Reno declared, now sounding like a raving lunatic as Tohru carried him to the front door, "I don't know how you did it, but I'll figure it out! Just you wait! I'll figure you out! Even if it takes me the rest of my life!"

"You have disturbed this Upendi quite enough, loud one," Tohru said as he opened the door and tossed him outside like a rag doll. The audience roared with excitement. He shut the door and wiped his hands together. He turned to Rafiki and bowed.

"Is that all, Rafiki-sama?" he asked.

"Yes, Tohru, dat is all," Rafiki replied with a nod, "T'ank you very much."

"It is an honor, Rafiki-sama," he replied and walked back over into the back hall.

"What just happened...?" I asked, thoroughly confused at everything I just saw.

I looked up at Luna as she walked up to the microphone.

"I'm sorry to say that for the rest of the night," she said, "Freddie won't be able to perform."

"Aww..." I heard everyone say in disappointment.

"I think you all can understand that he needs some time to recover after such an awful encounter."

The audience grumbled in agreement.

"But don't worry," she continued, "After we take a few minutes to talk to Freddie, I will go up on stage in his place, so you won't go without entertainment."

The audience cheered again. I walked up to her.

"Luna?" I said.

"We'll talk in the back," she said as she started walking to the back hallway.

I followed her back there and Rafiki and Belldandy joined us from the other door.

"Wha-what's going on here?" I asked, "What just happened?"

"I told you, Boober," Belldandy said, "That we would be here to help you if he started anything."

"Yes," Rafiki agreed, "Belldandy did a brilliant job keeping you human long enough for Reno to make a fool out of himself."

"So... You knew?" I asked.

"We've known deh entire time dat you are a gargoyle," he replied.

"And you hired me anyway?" I asked.

"Boober, you have just as much a right to a job as any human does," Luna said, "We just wanted to make sure nobody tried to take those rights away from you."

"But what...? How did you...? Just who…?" I stammered as I found myself unable to finish any of my questions.

"Let's take dis from deh beginning," Rafiki said as a mist started swirling around the three of them. The mist grew thicker until their forms were completely shrouded. The mist then suddenly swirled away, and I found myself unable to breathe.

Belldandy's ears had pointed, and she wore a beautiful blue ruffled dress. Luna's ears were also pointed, and her eyes had turned a dark blue color, similar to Gold's eyes. She wore what looked like a bikini of armor. Rafiki... Rafiki, well... Rafiki was an old baboon carrying a staff with two coconuts dangling from the top. He sat cross-legged floating in mid-air between Luna and Belldandy.

This, of course, only furthered my state of confusion. All of a sudden I had MANY more questions on my mind.

"You're..." I stuttered, "Y-you... You're..."

"We are of deh t'ird race," Rafiki finished my sentence for me, "Deh fey race."

"Fey..." I repeated, "The third race... Children of Oberon."

"That's correct," Luna answered.

"But, why are you here?" I asked, "Surely it's not just to help someone like me."

"Dher are many reasons for us to be heah, Boobah," Rafiki said. "Helping you is only one of dem."

"But," I continued, "Isn't it against Oberon's law to interfere with the lives mortals?"

"We're not interfering," Belldandy said, "Not directly."

"You needed a place to find your happiness," Luna said, "We just happened to need a singer."

"Not'ing in Oberon's book says anyt'ing about hiring a mortal into a business you've established in deh mortal world," Rafiki explained.

"But what about all that with Reno?" I asked. "What you did to me... I'd say that was direct interference."

"Reno was an unexpected setback," Rafiki replied, "We did what we did to him because he was disturbing deh harmony of my business, and dhus needed to be taught a lesson, and to do dat, you had to be a human and not a gargoyle. So dat is what we did."

"And Tohru...?" I said.

"Is deh only odher mortal under my employ," he said, "He is human, believe it or not. He is a good man wit' a heart as big as deh rest of him. He would prefer not to engage in violence, but like me he cannot tolerate anyone who openly expresses any amount of hate, especially wit'in dis establishment. So it is an honor for him to work as my bouncer, only coming out when deh need truly arises."

"This is all still very confusing," I replied, scratching my head under my hat.

"We know it is, Boober," Belldandy replied as she lifted a couple inches into the air and floated closer to me, taking my talons together in her hands and holding them up between us. "We know this is all very difficult for you, but don't worry. As long as you're here, you'll be safe."

"Belldandy..." I trailed as her soft voice soothed my uneasy nerves. "I knew it. When I heard you sing, I thought you may have had the voice of a goddess. Being a fey is the closest thing to it in this world."

She blushed when I said that.

"That's very nice of you to say, Boober," she replied. "Perhaps we should sing a duet sometime."

"But wait," I said, "You were at the auditions with me. Was that all part of the plan?"

"Yes," she answered with a nod and floated back to rejoin Rafiki and Luna. "It was to help you stay calm and focused. So you wouldn't feel alone."

I smiled, finally feeling at ease with the situation, but still quite confused.

"But..." I started, looking at the three of them, "Why me?"

"Simple," Rafiki answered, "We were asked a favor from a friend of mine to keep an eye on his granddaughter. And if der was anyt'ing dat looked like it would go out of hand and beyond dheir ability to fix, dat we would indirectly step in."

"And we saw you in your emotional predicament," Luna added, "So by hiring you to sing for us, we were killing two birds with one stone."

"You have me doing the thing I love," I replied, "So I could earn enough money to keep us all fed."

The three of them nodded.

"Dat's precisely it," Rafiki said.

"So..." I trailed as I ran out of questions, "What now?"

"Now you will go home and rest up for Friday," Rafiki said as the mist quickly appeared and disappeared again, changing them back to what I was used to seeing. "You have had a very rough night, Boobah. And you need to recuperate."

I nodded and turned to the dressing room door, which was conveniently right beside me.

"So all the conveniences I've noticed," I said as I put my talon on the door handle. "All the songs I knew being on the program, this suit that fits me perfectly, the song that my old band never released being at the audition. It all makes sense now."

"We didn't intend for you to find out dis early, Boobah," Rafiki said, "We were actually hoping for you to have worked here at least a year before letting you know about it. But wit' Reno t'reatening your life, we had little choice but to show you on your t'ird night on deh job."

"Well," I began, "Now I feel a lot better about my decision to look for work here, and about my decision to come to Paradigm City in the first place. Knowing we have the support of the fey race behind us puts me more at ease. And if you know me as well as you seem to know me, you should know that it's not easy for me to be at ease about anything."

"Yes, we know dat," Rafiki replied with a nod, "But know dat we won't be around for every disaster you and your clan faces. In fact, we will rarely be able to help you like we are here."

"I understand," I said as I pushed the door opened, "Not for anything we can't fix ourselves."

"Precisely," Rafiki replied.

I continued inside and shut the door behind me.

"This is all so strange," I thought to myself as I started to change clothes.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Reno)

"HhheeEEEEYYY!!!!" I yelled as I flew across the street and into the alleyway on the other side, finding my flight suddenly interrupted by my face meeting the side of a dumpster.

"Oof!" I grunted as I landed.

"Reno!" I heard Elena's voice call as she and Rude ran up to me. "Are you alright?"

"Mama, did you catch the number on that sumo?" I mumbled as I rolled over onto my back, "That really hurt."

"Serves you right for rushing into things, Reno," Rude said, crossing his arms as he hovered over me.

I shook myself back to reality when I fully recovered from my crash.

"Son of a bitch," I said as I got up, "What the hell happened?"

"You jumped to conclusions and made yourself look like an idiot," Elena said.

"Nuh-uh," I said, waving my finger at her, "I know he's a gargoyle. I held his wing in my hand. I yanked on it and pulled him backwards with it. I don't know how, but when I searched him on stage, he had nothin'. Something was goin' on there. Something not quite right."

"I think you might've hit your head harder than we thought when you hit that dumpster," Rude said, "Cuz we watched the whole thing from out here, and you were feeling up a man."

"A sight I never want to see again," Elena added. "The poor guy just about died of humiliation when you grabbed his ass."

"You still don't believe me?!" I retorted, but then noticed a familiar figure walking out of the nightclub and down the street.

"There he is," I pointed out, "Let's follow him."

"YOU follow him," Elena said and turned the other way, "I'M going home."

"Same here," Rude replied and followed her. "I'm not about to go stalking YOUR prey."

"Fine! Who needs ya?!" I yelled as they walked away, "I'll crack this case wide open, and when I do you're gonna be sorry you doubted me!"

I looked back over to Freddie and watched him walk even further down the street. I ran across the street so I was behind him and began my covert pursuit. There were quite a few people walking around that night, so it was easy for me to hide myself in the crowd in case he should turn around in suspicion.

"Where are you going, monster?" I wondered in thought as he kept going down the street.

He stopped at an apartment building and went inside.

"An apartment, huh?" I thought as I walked up to the building, but stayed outside so I could watch him step inside the elevator.

When the doors were shut, I rushed inside to see where the elevator was going, but to my dismay, there was nothing around the doors that could tell me where the elevator was. The only indicator was that the up button was glowing.

"Going up..." I thought out loud, "To the roof, maybe?"

I thought about it for a moment, but then remembered that there were no more gargoyles living on the roofs of Paradigm. So that was out of the question.

"So basically," I thought to myself, "This guy lives somewhere between the ground floor and the top floor... THAT doesn't help me any!"

I decided to give up my investigation for now and to try again another night. I turned around to walk out and go home.

"I'll figure you out, Monster," I mumbled, "Just you wait and see."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Boober)

The elevator doors opened, and I saw Jigen and Gold on their way back to the apartment.

"Hey, Boober," Gold greeted as I stepped out of the elevator, "How was work?"

"Very strange," I said, "And I'll leave it at that."

The both of them gave me a strange look and then looked at each other, and then back at me again.

"You sure?" Jigen asked.

"Yes," I answered, "It was very very strange, and that's all I'm gonna say about it."

"Okay," he shrugged and kept walking.

We entered the apartment. Red and Vaala were on the couch, fighting over the remote.

"It's MY turn to pick what we watch," Vaala said.

"You picked the last FIVE shows!" Red replied.

"No I didn't!"

"Yes you did!"

As they continued arguing, Gold calmly walked over to the living room, approached the TV, and hit the power button. The argument instantly stopped as Red and Vaala both looked up at Gold.

"If you can't share the TV," Gold said, "You won't watch it at all."

"Well SHE started it," Vaala retorted, pointing at Red.

"SHE won't let me pick anything!" Red retorted, pointing at Vaala.

"What is it with you females?" Jigen asked, "It's like when the three of you are together, it's all yakyakyakyakyak! And you're yelling back and forth, and after a while I can't understand a word of it."

"I'd hate to think how this would be if Mac joined in," I added.

"Don't jinx it," Jigen replied, "The last thing we need is a Scottish temper in the mix. If you three start smacking each other around, you could be the female version of the Three Stooges."

"You're right, they could be," I agreed.

"Did they just call us stooges?" Vaala asked.

"I think they did," Gold replied.

"That's what it sounded like to me," Red agreed.

"How do we punish them for it?" Gold asked.

"I think we should kill 'em," Red suggested.

"Sounds good to me," Vaala agreed.

The three of them started to approach us slowly, claws extended. Even Vaala, who didn't even HAVE claws. We slowly backed away until they decided to charge at us, and we were forced to run. We ran around the tiny living room in circles and figure eights. They outnumbered us three to two, but we managed to keep away from them for a while. We made a mess out of the living room, knocking the coffee table on its side and the couch on its back, but it didn't matter. At the end of the night, we were all gathered around, sitting on the back of the couch, laughing like there would be nothing to laugh about tomorrow.

"This group," I thought as we laughed. "No, this clan. This happiness. How I wish it could last forever."


	18. Chapter 17: What's Mine Is Mine

Gold Demona

**Chapter XVII**

What's Mine is Mine

(Prime Ruler Bethovich)

(The Next Week...)(October 24, 2110 A.D.)

"The jobs as of late have become sloppy," I pointed out to the other people in the room. "I keep receiving news of survivors after the slaughters, and then news of the survivors disappearing. This is unsettling."

I was in a meeting with my closest and most loyal agents. The room was quite dark. The only light was one small hanging light shining down on the table from the ceiling.

"Well, Boss, we'd been getting' em all until the scanning computer started goofin' up," said my head of military and Prime Hunter. Although he held the rank of Five-Star General, he preferred to be called Colonel, simply because he believed that this title better complimented his name, "It's like it doesn't wanna show us everything we wanna see."

"It's possible that it might've been hacked into," suggested my lovely covert assassin. "It is a computer, after all."

"Impossible," replied my Chief Scientist, "There are far too many security barriers embedded into the computer's operating system. As well as there being several backfire traps between each barrier. The only way a hacker would be able to get into our computer would be if they were actually in the room."

"Statement:" entered my Hunter-Killer android. "Perhaps the scanner's failure to retrieve all the necessary data is simply due to the incompetence of whatever meatbag was at the controls of the computer."

"Whatever the cause may be," I said, "We must not allow it to happen again. Professor, is the new soldier old enough to be released?"

"He has just reached full maturity, Excellency," my Scientist replied, "And he is programmed with all the necessary instincts."

"Excellent," I replied with a smile on my face. "I received a report not too long ago about a clan in some mines to the south, two hundred kilometers northeast of Paradigm City. I think this would be the perfect place to give our new soldier a test run."

"Objection:" my Hunter-Killer replied, "Master, this soldier, although no doubt would be quite efficient at what he does, is still but a mere fleshy meatbag. I, being a prime example of superior technology, skill, and ingenuity, would be far better suited to take out these winged meatbags."

"Have patience, HK-47," I chuckled and grinned at my mechanical assassin, "You will have your chance. I am just waiting for a task worthy of your ability."

"Gratification: Well, Master. It does me well to see that a meatbag such as yourself can appreciate my level of perfection."

"What's with the 'meatbag' all the sudden?" the Colonel asked. "You didn't used to say that before."

"Realization: Hmm. I do not know. Perhaps I have picked it up from one of the robots in the lounging facility. Seeing as I do not receive very many missions, much to my dismay, I find myself spending much of my time in the lounge socializing with my fellow machines. One in particular seems quite fond of this term and uses it when referring to organic meatbags such as yourselves. I found the use of this term quite amusing. Conclusion: I'm thinking the term and its use embedded itself into my vocabulary bank."

"I don't remember making a robot that uses such a term," my Scientist interjected. "What is this robot's designation?"

"Answer: The unit refers to himself as Bender. I see him from time to time in various places around the building, but he does not appear to have any sort of real purpose. However, I find myself quite entertained when engaging in conversation with him."

"Really?" I replied.

"Elaboration: Yes, Master. He is a robot with a personality operating system. The personality running in his system is one that does not express a great fondness of organic meatbags, and as you well know, I also do not hold such a fondness for them. Nothing brings me more pleasure than to put one out of my misery, and Bender would always join me in creating hypothetical situations where such carnage occurred. Since Bender's systems operate on a personality program, his manner of speaking is very similar to that of you meatbags. Speaking to him is comparable to speaking to a meatbag version of myself, which I found to be very strange because he is in fact a machine."

"None of my machines have personality operating systems," my scientist replied, "He must be some sort of spy."

"Consideration: I also assumed such upon first meeting him. He did not appear in my memory banks as being on our roster, which activated my suspicion protocols. However, as I mentioned earlier, he speaks of the death and dismemberment of organic meatbags as openly and casually as I do, which brought much confusion to my logic circuits. If this Bender was a spy against our cause, then would it not make more sense for him to express the need to preserve life rather than end it?"

"This is definitely an interesting friend you have, HK-47," I stated, "I would like to meet him personally."

"As would I," agreed the Professor.

"Query: Do you wish for me to bring him to your office, Master?"

"No," I said, holding my index finger up to him, "Bring him to the lab instead. The next time you meet with this Bender, inform me when you have met with him so the Professor and I can meet you there."

"Statement: As you wish, Master. I will bring Bender to you upon our next meeting."

"Good," I replied, "But we have greatly digressed from the topic at hand. Professor, I believe it is time for our new soldier to have his first taste of blood."

"At once, Excellency," he replied and rose from his chair, "I shall awaken him at once and prepare him for the next sunrise."

"No," I disagreed and smiled, "Release him tomorrow night. I want his first taste to be that of blood."

"Of course, Excellency," He bowed with a smile on his face and began to walk away, "I shall prepare him for tomorrow night."

"What's so special about this new soldier anyway?" my covert Assassin spoke up, "Isn't he just like the rest of us?"

"Not quite, my dear," the Professor answered, "You see, this soldier, Ashitare, although he is for the most part human, was also given wolf's DNA. Not only is he superior in strength, speed, and instinct to any human. He was also given a sense of smell that can pick up a gargoyle from a mile away. So should the scanners fail to find them, Ashitare will still be able to track them down and kill them."

"So this ash-tary's some kind of bloodhound or somethin'?" the Colonel asked.

"Colonel, to use the term 'bloodhound' would be demeaning to such a soldier," the Professor replied. "It would be similar to calling you a simple gunman."

"I gotcha," he replied and grinned. "He can guarantee us a bloodbath, especially since they'll actually BE blood and not stone. Really, Boss, I think we should attack 'em at night a lot more. I like seein' 'em try to run away."

"Do you know how much more costly it is to clean up blood than stone?" the Professor asked.

"Nope," the Colonel replied, "And I don't give a rat's ass. I'll take blood over broken statues any day o' the week."

"Concurrence: Indeed, there is much greater satisfaction in watching your prey as life is taken from their fleshy existence. You cannot truly appreciate the art of death when your victim is nothing more than an elaborately-shaped block of stone."

"Exactly!" the Colonel agreed, "See? I'm not the only one that thinks this. Even the dang robot agrees with me."

"And it appears that you also share his impatience," I said, "Do not worry, my friends. You will all have your share of bloodshed. As long as the last piece of the puzzle remains missing, we must weed out all possible candidates."

"But Boss," the Colonel said, "What makes you so sure this Missing Piece is even in New Liberty?"

"There is no doubt in my mind," I replied, "I know my Missing Piece is in New Liberty."

"Well yeah, but--"

I raised my hand, and he fell silent. I did not wish to hear anymore.

"I believe that will be all for tonight." I stated and rose from my chair, "We have said everything that needed to be said, and there is much that needs to be done. Meeting adjourned."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Meanwhile...)

(Markl)

"Weh foond one!" Mac yelled, excited as a blip showed up on the scanner screen.

"What is it?" I asked.

"A clahn!" she answered, "A full live clahn, ohl stell alive ahnd will. Weh hahve ta git ta them bifoore tha Hontars find 'em."

"That's awesome!" I yelled and started running to the door, "I'll go tell everyone."

"Aye!" She replied, "Do thaht, lahd. Thes ehs beg news. They ohl nehd ta knoo eht."

I ran out of the lab and down the hall to the statue room. Silverbolt, Red, and Boober were there. Silverbolt was reading a book with a pair of glasses on his nose. Boober was doing laundry, and Red was leaning on the wall behind Boober.

"Hey, everyone!" I yelled as I ran in, "Big news!"

They all looked up at me when I said that.

"We found a clan!" I said, "A whole clan, still alive!"

They all smiled when I said that.

"Markl, that's wonderful news," Silverbolt said as he closed his book, put away his glasses, and got up from his chair. "We must retrieve them at once and send them away to safety."

"Yeah! Isn't that great?" I said and ran out of the statue room and back through the hall.

I pushed the TV out of my way so I could get in quicker. Jigen, Gold, and Vaala were on the couch, staring at me because I moved the TV out of sight.

"What's going on, Markl?" Vaala asked.

"Mac found a whole clan!" I said, "All still alive!"

"That's awesome!" Gold replied, "Where are they?"

"I dunno," I answered, "I got too excited to ask. Mac's got it on the screen right now. Come look!"

They all got up off the couch and followed me to the lab, where Silverbolt, Red, and Boober were already looking at the scanner.

"It's true," Silverbolt said, "This number is too large to be anything but a clan."

"How many are there?" I asked.

"Aboot tin or twilve," Mac answered as we all gathered around the computer. "Thir ehn sohm abahndoned mines two-hondrid kelomehtars noorth-ist ohf here."

"That's an overday trip," Gold pointed out, "I can't go, I have to work tomorrow and the day after."

"Ditto," Vaala replied.

"I'll go," Silverbolt said.

"I'll go, why not?" Jigen agreed.

"You're willing to go?" Gold asked, "Without your gun?"

"I'm getting kinda tired of sittin' around here doin' nothing," he replied, "I need some action. I can fight without my gun. You've seen me do it."

"I know," she said, "Just be careful."

"Don't worry about it," he replied.

"I'll go too," Red entered, "It's about time I did something useful around here."

"No, Red. That's WAY too dangerous," Boober said, "What if the Hunters show up while you're spending the day there?"

"You'll let your brother go, but not me?" Red replied, "Don't be stupid, Boober! I'm going, and that's that."

"Well, then I'm going with you," he said. "Just so you don't go getting yourself into trouble."

"What?!" Red replied, "You'd be completely useless if a fight were to break out."

"This is a rescue mission, Red," Silverbolt said. "Not a call to war. If Boober wishes to come along, he may. His reasons are his own. As long as everyone does their part, there should be no objections to another hand wanting to come help."

"Yeah well," Red said and then glared at Boober, "Just don't get in my way."

"Fine," he said.

"I wanna go too," I said.

"No, lahd," Mac said, "Eht's fahr too dehngerous far sohm-one as yohng as yersilf. Ah'd fehl bittar ehf ye stehd here weth me."

"But I never get to go anywhere!" I said.

"Mac is right, Markl," Silverbolt said, "You are still far too young to go on such dangerous missions."

"Well," I said, "Then take Krypto. He'll be useful to you. His sense of smell can pick up anything. You can use him to find anybody that's hiding deep in the mines."

"Ar!" Krypto barked and sat straight up, panting and wagging his tail.

"That's not a bad idea," Jigen agreed.

"Won't he need a cloaker, though?" Gold pointed out, "Because Markl cloaks him with an illusion charm, but it only works while they're touching. If Markl's not with him, the charm's no good."

"Ah ken mehk a clookar far hem," Mac said, "Thaht's noht a prohblem. Ah'd johst hahve ta mehk sohm mohdeficehtions ta tha clookar so eht should fet aroond hes nick like a cohllar."

"It's settled, then," Silverbolt said, "We will leave within the hour. We should all take this time to prepare for the trip, for it will be a long one."

"Right," everyone agreed and walked out of the lab, leaving me, Mac, and Krypto alone in the lab again.

"You're finally gonna get some exercise, Krypto," I said to him. "You need it."

"Ar! Ar!" he barked at me.

"Lit's get stahrted than," Mac said as she rolled her chair over to the cloaker machine and turned it on. "Ah'll hahf ta adjost eht ta mehk a kehnine cloak enstid ohf a humahn."

She pressed a few buttons on the pad.

"You'll just have to make sure you do a good job while your out with them, ok?" I said to Krypto.

"Ar!" He barked and licked my face.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Jigen)

I followed Gold all the way to her bedroom, checking her out as we walked. I mostly watched the way her tail swerved with every step she took. She was wearing a pair of jeans that barely went higher up than her tail, and the top she was wearing stopped just short of her jeans, so a small part of her back was exposed. During one of the few short instances where I'd glanced up from her tail, I noticed something weird half-hidden under her clothes, like her skin in that area was a completely different color.

As we walked into the bedroom, I shut the door behind us. She turned around and wrapped her arms and wings around me, pushing me back into the closed door. When I got a good look at her face, I noticed that it wasn't a happy one.

"What is it?" I asked.

"You're leaving," she said, holding me tighter.

"It's only for a couple of nights," I pointed out, "I'll be back, I promise."

"I know," she said, "It's just that I'll miss you while you're gone."

I grinned and squeezed her closer to me.

"I'll miss you too," I said, "That'll make my return all the better."

She looked up at me, and I took this opportunity to lean down and kiss her.

"So," I started as we parted lips, "Was that a tattoo I spotted on your back?"

"Well..." she started and paused as her face turned orange, "I'm not really sure."

"What?" I replied and raised a brow, "How can you not be sure of something like that?"

"Well, it looks like a tattoo," she said as she took a step backwards from me, "But I was born with it, so I don't know."

"So it's a birthmark?" I asked.

"I'm not sure of that either," she replied. "Well, look."

She turned around and lifted her shirt so I could see it more clearly. It definitely looked like a tattoo. It was an elaborate design taking up the width of her back at its base, but only around three inches tall. It looked like a tangle of curved lines, kinda resembling a sideways DNA strand, with some small symbols placed all over it. At the center was a circle with a weird design inside.

"Does Mac know about this?" I asked out of curiosity.

"I don't think so," she answered.

"I think she should," I replied, "Cuz if you were born with this, then it's definitely something she needs to know about. For all you know, this thing might hold the clue to your origins."

"I didn't think of that," she replied, and pulled her shirt back down. "I've spent so many nights staring at myself in the mirror, wondering why I look the way I do. I've often wondered what my parents actually are. What could possibly reproduce to make something that changes species twice a day?"

"Beats me," I answered. "I think Mac would be the better person to talk to about that."

"I know," she said and turned back around to face me, "If anyone can figure all this out, she can. I'll tell her about the tattoo after you leave."

"Alright," I said, "But we still got another half an hour before that happens. So what do you think we should do until then?"

"Well, I have one idea," she said and pulled herself closer to me. She looked right into my eyes, and all of a sudden my mind went blank. I saw her, and I saw the bed behind her, and that was all my mind wanted to process.

"Oh?" I replied, a wide grin spreading across my beak, "And what's that?"

"It's a clear night tonight," she said, "I figured we could go up to the roof and look at the stars."

"Oh…" I replied and frowned.

"What?" she asked, confused from the way I reacted. "What did you think I was thinking?"

I shook my head, trying to shake off all the thoughts I had just a minute ago.

"Uh, no, nothin'," I said and cleared my throat. "The roof's fine. I need a quick smoke before the trip anyway."

She rolled her eyes at me and walked around me to the door.

"I've been around Lupin too long," I thought as I followed her out, "I'm starting to think like he does. But, damn! She's so beautiful. Makes it difficult not to want to."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(A few hours later...)

(Boober)

I wasn't feeling comfortable at all with any of this. I pondered it all as we walked the last stretch of our journey to this mine where this clan was supposed to be. First was the fact that we were leaving the safety of the apartment. Second was the fact that we would be gone for more than one night, leaving us vulnerable during the day. Even with our cloakers hiding us from the scanners, it was still a huge risk we were taking. Third was that we weren't even completely sure where this mine was. The coordinates from the scanner gave us a general idea of where it was, but not the exact location. The only thing we had to go by was to look for something that looked like a mine.

Krypto walked in front of us, sniffing at the ground as we walked. Silverbolt stayed two steps behind him, carrying a small box of cloakers in his talon. The rest of us weren't far behind him. Having Krypto with us gave me a little more confidence that we would actually find them.

"You do know we'll be going to a mine, right Boober?" Jigen asked me.

"Yes, I know," I answered.

"As in you'd be in close proximity to the walls and ceiling," he added.

"Yes, I know," I said, growing nervous at the thought of it.

"You sure you can handle it?" he asked.

"I-I'll be fine," I said, "So long as we don't go too deep into it, I'll be fine."

"Well, we'll have to at least go deep enough to meet with this clan," he said and then put his talon on my shoulder, "But don't worry about it. We're all here with you."

"Yeah, Boober," Red mocked, "If you get scared, Jigen'll be right there to give you a hug."

"Claustrophobia is not something to be made fun of, Red," Silverbolt said.

"Well it's his own damn fault for coming along," she retorted. "He didn't have to come, and he knew it."

"That's enough," Silverbolt said as he stopped walking for a moment.

We all looked over and saw that Krypto was sniffing around more intently.

"I think we may have found something," Silverbolt said and followed after Krypto as he bolted away.

"Hey, wait for us!" Red yelled as we ran behind them.

We ran until we reached a large rock formation. Krypto stopped running right next to it and started sniffing around it.

"What the hell?" Red said as we caught up.

"Apparently he's picked up a scent," Silverbolt replied.

Krypto stopped sniffing for a moment and then bolted around the rock.

"Oh come on!" Red complained as we all ran after him again.

We followed him to the opposite side of the rock. It was a really big rock, so it involved a lot of running. By the time he finally stopped again, we were all panting for air. He stopped and started barking at the rock face.

"If I had to guess," Jigen said, although he sounded like he wasn't running at all, "I'd say that's where the mine is."

We caught up to Krypto and looked at where he was barking, but the only thing there was the side of the rock.

"I think..." Red panted, "We got... a defective... dog beast."

"AR! AR!" Krypto kept barking at that spot on the rock.

"We ran..." I panted, "All this way... to look... at more rock."

"I dunno," Jigen replied, although I noticed he wasn't barely panting at all, "Krypto seems to think there's something there. I'm thinking the entrance is cloaked."

"I agree," Silverbolt said, panting less than we were. "I don't think he would have stopped here if there wasn't actually something here. I say we begin our search."

"Hey wait," Red panted, "Let us catch our breath first."

"Geez, you're out of shape," Jigen said as he and Silverbolt walked over to the rock face.

"How come you're not tired?" I asked.

"I'm used to running," he said and put his talons on the rock and started feeling around it, "Constantly being chased around by cops, gangsters, and assassins makes you run a lot. So this was nothing to me."

"Well I'll be damned if anyone finds the entrance before me," Red said as she marched over to the rock and started feeling around it.

I walked up and put my talons to the rock, but instead of touching the rock, it just went straight through it, making it look like my talon went inside the rock.

"What?" I replied as I took my talon out and then back in again. "I think I found it."

"You did?" Red replied and looked to where my talon went into the rock. "Well, crap. I wanted to find it first."

"We've no time to waste," Silver said and stepped through the rock face.

Jigen, Red, and Krypto followed in after him. I hesitated, not sure if it was truly safe to go in.

"Hey!" Red said as she poked her head out through the rock face.

"Ah!" I jumped, "Red! Don't do that!"

"You comin' or what?!" she asked.

"Well I..." I trailed.

"Look, you came with us," she said as she grabbed my arm and dragged me in, "You're coming in!"

As I went through the rock, I looked back and found that I could see the outside. The cloak seemed to be invisible from the inside. I looked the other way into the tunnel we entered and realized that we had found what we were after. Krypto had already started walking deeper in, so we followed close behind him, turning off our cloakers as we went.

At first glance it appeared like a normal cave, but the walls and the ceiling were lined with what looked like pieces of support beams. And along the ground down the cave was a long metal track.

The only other thing I noticed was that the tunnels were quite well lit, even though there were no visible sources of light.

"This is the mine, alright," Jigen pointed out.

"It's really bright in here for a mine," Red pointed out, noticing the same thing I did, "And I don't see any lanterns or torches of anything."

"The light seems to be coming from the very walls of the mine," Silver said.

"I've never heard of any kind of rock that doubles as a light source," Jigen said. "Must be some kind of magic."

"Well, whatever it is," Red said, "I'm just glad we don't have to do our search in the dark."

"I dunno," I said, "I'm debating whether or not I like seeing how close together these walls are."

"Boober, you're such a baby," Red said, "Just look down at the ground and keep walking."

I tilted my head down, but not before noticing that we were walking up to a fork in the tunnel. The mine seemed to go in three different directions. One just continued the main tunnel. Another went off to the side, and the third seemed to go downward deeper into the ground. Krypto stopped at the fork and sniffed at two of the three tunnels, neither of which was the one that went down, of which I was very glad. He started walking again down the tunnel that continued the tunnel we were already in.

"Are you sure we're going the right way?" I asked.

"We are following Krypto's nose," Silverbolt said, "It has guided us in the right direction thus far. I don't see why we can't continue to trust it."

"Does anyone else get the feeling we're being watched?" I asked.

"Boober, stop it!" Red groaned.

"No, I feel it, too," Jigen said.

"Don't move!" yelled a small, gritty voice as I felt something pointy being poked to my back.

I raised my talons to the air as everyone else turned around to look at whoever it was that was behind me.

"Don't make any sudden moves," he said, "Or you're friend here is gettin' skewered."

I gulped at the very thought of it.

"Kinda hard to skewer someone with a wooden sword, kid," Jigen pointed out.

I blinked for a moment and looked back behind me. He was a young male gargoyle, no older than eighteen, and it was a wooden sword he had pointed to my back. He stood at less than half my height. He wore a red and yellow vertical striped shirt, dark blue pants, and a matching blue hat with a red feather sticking out of it. What struck me as odd was that this boy had pale pink skin and no hair.

"You're supposed to be a boy, right?" Jigen asked.

"I AM a boy, you jerk!" he yelled.

"Kinda hard to take you seriously with the pink skin, kid," Red giggled.

"So I got pink skin. What of it?" he replied, "I was put in charge of protecting the clan from trespassers like you!"

"Cubbi!" yelled a small voice from behind him.

A small young female ran up from behind him. She looked a little older than he did, probably in her early twenties. She stood at just over half my height. She had golden yellow skin and bleach blonde hair, and wore what looked like a Peter Pan outfit.

"These guys are trespassers!" the boy insisted, pointing his sword at us. "I have to protect the clan!"

"But they're not Hunters," the girl said.

"How do YOU know?" the boy argued, "They brought a tracking hound with them. How do you know they're not tracking us down so they can come in and kill us?"

Krypto walked up to the boy and began to sniff at him.

"What? Hey!" the boy replied as Krypto continued sniffing.

He stopped sniffing and looked up. He brought his muzzle closer and started to lick the boy's face.

"Heheh, hey. Cut it out," the boy giggled as Krypto continued licking him, "That tickles."

"Are you of the clan that lives in this mine?" Silverbolt asked.

"Yes we are," the girl answered, "My name is Sunni. And this is Cubbi. Are you here to help us?"

Silverbolt knelt down beside the girl so he could better talk to her.

"That is why we're here," he answered, "I am Silverbolt. This is Boober, Red, Jigen, and the canine is Krypto. We came to get you safely out of the country."

The girl never took her eyes off of Silverbolt as he made our introductions.

"Will you take us to your clan's leader?" Silver asked.

"Of course," she answered and grabbed his talon. "We live down this tunnel over here. Follow me."

She pointed to the tunnel that went off to the side. Silverbolt nodded and got back up to his feet, with Sunni still holding his talon. She started walking down the tunnel, pulling Silver's talon as she walked. Cubbi and Krypto chased each other down the tunnel in front as the rest of us followed... Deeper into the mine.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Mac)

I twirled the glass in my talon as I studied the binary on the screen. For the past three hours, I had been rereading one particular section of it, the only part of Gold's DNA that was consistent in both forms, but at the same time made no sense at all. It was as if this code was added as an afterthought, because if this code were not there, both sets would still be complete. It made it very difficult to figure out what this extra code would be.

"Hey, Mac," I heard Gold call as she stepped into the lab.

"Evenin', Gold," I greeted back and turned in my chair, "What can I do for you?"

"I came in to see if I could help you with anything," she said, "I know you're doing a lot of studies on me, and I just wondered if having the actual subject here would help any."

"Aye, it might," I answered and placed my glass on the counter. "Although I'm not sure if it'll help me with this particular problem I'm finding."

"Problem?" she repeated with a somewhat worried tone, "What kind of problem?"

"This section of your DNA," I said and pointed to the section of binary on the screen. "It's identical in both your human form and your gargoyle form, but there's one problem with it."

"And what's that?" she asked.

"It's an extra code," I answered, "Something that was added to the already complete sets of DNA. And because of this, I'm having trouble figuring out what it could be."

"Do you think this might be part of it?" she asked as she turned her back to be and lifted her shirt, revealing a strange mark at the base of her back.

I adjusted my glasses and looked closer at this design.

"You were born with this, lass?" I asked.

"Yeah, this was on me when I hatched," she said.

"Interesting," I said and rolled back to the computer to examine the code again. "Very interesting."

"What?" she asked. "What's so interesting about it?"

"That mark looks to be some kind of insignia," I said.

"You mean like some kind of logo?" she asked in confusion.

"In a matter of speaking," I replied. "It's too elaborate and organized to be a simple birthmark. It would have to have been deliberately put there. But how such a mark would come upon a living being is what I'd like to know."

"Great," she groaned, "I tried to provide you with answers, but instead I got you more questions."

"No, lass," I replied, "This bit of information is important, and it'll help me greatly. I won't deny that I'm still quite baffled with this puzzle, but let me assure you that every bit of information helps."

"Well, that's good," she said and turned to leave, "If I can help you at all with these studies, let me know. I want more than anything to know more about myself."

"Aye, lass," I replied, "I know that. I'll let you know if I need you for anything."

She nodded and walked out, leaving me alone with my computer and my scotch. I picked up my glass and drank from it.

"That lass truly is a mystery," I thought to myself. "Possibly one of the greatest I've ever encountered. That mark on her back means something. I know it does."

I looked up at the binary on the screen. My sight fixated on that extra set of code.

"And I'm going to find out what."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Silverbolt)

I discovered as this young girl dragged me down the tunnel that this mine was much larger than I originally thought. The tunnel we had been walking through for the past several minutes didn't seem to have an end. After a while I began to notice some paintings on the walls of the tunnel, and the further down we went, the more paintings there were on the wall. These paintings were all of brightly colored scenes portraying the different faces of nature, as calm as a sunny day to noisy as a thunderstorm. Warm as summer, or cool as winter.

"What's with all the cave paintings?" Jigen asked.

"Gusto painted them," Sunni answered, "Aren't they beautiful?"

"Is this Gusto of your clan as well?" I asked.

"Yeah, he's really cool," Cubbi said, "Unlike Gruffi, Gusto actually knows how to have fun."

"Gruffi's our leader, Cubbi," Sunni retorted, "You can't talk about him like that."

"It's not my fault he's such a grouch," he replied.

"Are we there yet?" Red asked.

"It's just a little further," she said, keeping a tight hold on my talon as we walked.

"You said that like five times already," Red said. "I swear this tunnel goes on forever."

"Please don't talk about the tunnel," Boober replied. "I'm having a hard enough time as it is."

"Just keep your talon on me," Jigen said, "You don't have to look at any of it."

I looked behind me and saw that Boober had one talon pressing his hat down over his eyes and the other on Jigen's shoulder. He had sweat dripping from his face, and he looked like he was having trouble keeping stable.

"What's the matter with him?" the boy called Cubbi asked.

"He's claustrophobic," I answered.

"Closto-what?" he replied.

"It means he's scared of tight and closed spaces," Sunni said.

"Oh," Cubbi said.

"You don't have any problems with the elevator back home," Red said, "What makes this mine so different?"

"Leave me alone, Red," Boober said. "I just want this to be over."

"I'm sorry to have to put you through this, Boober," I said to him, "But we'll need to stay here another night before we can go back. It's too late in the evening to be able to get anywhere before sunrise."

"I know," he said, "I'll be fine."

"There's a big room at the end of this tunnel," Sunni pointed out, "That's where our clan is staying."

"Hey, maybe there it'll be safe to open your eyes," Jigen said.

"We'll see about that," Boober replied.

"Hang in there, bro. I'm right here."

"That's one thing I'm glad about."

"We're here," Cubbi announced and ran off ahead of us, Krypto following close behind.

"It's about time," Red said.

I Looked ahead and noticed that the tunnel did indeed spread out greatly. The room was quite large. Inside it were several pieces of furniture, including tables, chairs, and couches. In the back was a large wood-burning stove with the smoke stack stretching up to the ceiling and into the rock above. The light in this room was much brighter than the rest of the mine. When I looked, I realized it was because there were crystals planted all across the ceiling, apparently lit by magic. I could only assume it was the same magic used to keep the mine entrance hidden.

"I think it's safe to open your eyes, Boober," Jigen said.

Slowly he did, and breathed a relaxed sigh.

"You alright here?" Jigen asked.

"I think so," Boober answered.

"Sunni! Cubbi! Where the hell have you been?!" yelled an angry-sounding voice from the larger table in the room. "And who the hell are they?!"

He was a short, stalky male gargoyle of brown skin and short blonde hair. He wore a beige shirt, dark brown pants, and a dark green hat.

"Gruffi," Sunni said as she released my talon and ran to the table where he was. "I brought them here so they could meet our clan."

"What is the meaning of this, Sunni?!" Gruffi replied, "What were you thinking bringing strangers into the mine?! For all you know, these schmucks could be Hunters!"

"But they were already IN the mine when we found them," Cubbi said as he reached the table.

"Oh, even better," the angry Gruffi groaned in sarcasm.

"Please, Sir, if I may," I interjected and stepped closer to the table.

"You may not!" he replied, holding his talon up to stop me, "We've kept this place hidden so far, and we're not about to be discovered by anyone."

"Oh for crying out loud, Gruffi!" yelled an elder female voice from the back of the room.

She walked up behind him, a female that looked slightly older than I, holding a wooden spoon in her talon. She was a foot taller than Gruffi and had golden orange skin and short, light brown hair. She wore a blue dress, a white apron, and a matching hat.

"I swear, Gruffi!" she yelled and started poking at him with the spoon, "You're always acting like the world's gonna end! It's obvious to me that these people came here in peace."

"But I--"

"Don't 'but' me, Gruffi Gummi," she interrupted, "If they were Hunters we'd be dead already, so you'd be smart to shut up and let me finish cooking."

"Whatcha makin' tonight, Grammi?" Cubbi asked.

"Stinkweed Stew," she said in a much softer tone as she began to walk back towards the stove, "It's a good thing I made extra, because it looks like we'll be having company for dinner."

"Ugh..." Cubbi and Sunni both groaned.

As she walked away, I noted Gruffi looking back at us with a rather dumbfounded look on his face.

"Look, uh," he said, rubbing the back of his neck, "Things haven't been easy around here lately, and I'm at the point where I can't trust anybody."

"I don't blame you, my friend," I replied as I walked up to him and held my talon out for him, "It's difficult to find anyone you can trust in this country. I am Silverbolt."

"Gruffi Gummi's the name," he replied and took my talon in his. "Nice to see some friendly faces around these parts."

"Your last name is Gummi?" Jigen asked.

"It's the surname of the clan," he explained, putting his fist up to his chest. "Everyone in our clan carries that surname, with or without blood relation. Why? You got a problem with it?"

"No, no problem," he said.

"Good," he said.

"Hey, Gruffamundo!" called a voice as a pale blue arm wrapped itself around Gruffi's shoulders, "Care to introduce us to our new guests, or are ya gonna leave us all out, huh?"

He was a young male, possibly in his late forties. He had pale blue skin and black hair. He wore a brown shirt with dark brown pants, a red bandana around his neck, and a yellow hat on his head.

"Gusto, get off me!" he yelled and shoved the blue male's arm from his shoulders. "We'll make our introductions at the table. You go back to playing with your big rock."

"_Pardonnez-moi_," he replied, "But I am sculpting, thank you very much! You insult a potential masterpiece by just calling it a rock."

"Yeah, whatever." he said, "It has nothing to do with me, so I really don't care."

"At any rate," Gusto said and began walking away, "Grammi says dinner's ready. So whenever you're ready, we can gather round the table to endure another meal."

"Don't you mean 'enjoy the meal'?" Boober asked.

"No, he means endure," Gruffi said. "Grammi's cooking sucks, but it's better than starving."

"I heard that!" Grammi yelled from the stove. "If you hate my cooking so much, I'd like to see YOU try and cook!"

"No thanks!" he yelled back, "I'll leave the culinary screw-ups to you!"

"One more word out of you, Gruffi Gummi, and you're eating ALL of it!"

"Uh..." He said as he grimaced and then turned back to us, "I think we should just go eat now."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Jigen)

It wasn't the worst food I ever had, but I could definitely say that I've had better. Most of the problem was that it smelled worse than it tasted. I guess it wasn't called Stinkweed Stew for no reason. Even Krypto was having trouble getting it down, and dog beasts weren't known to be picky eaters.

Gruffi sat at the head of the table, looking dwarfed in his chair compared to everyone else. It seemed the only people here he was taller than were the kids. Silverbolt sat to the left of him, and Grammi to his right. Sunni sat next to Silverbolt, giving him googly eyes the entire time. I had to sit next to that, and after me were Red and Boober. Next to Grammi sat Cubbi and Gusto. The only ones at the table we hadn't met yet were a large blue male named Tummi, who seemed to behave like a giant child, and an old lavender male named Zummi, who seemed to be the sorcerer of the bunch. If I had to guess, I'd say he was the one who put up that illusion at the entrance and kept the lights on in the room. I couldn't help but notice that all the members of this clan seemed to have names that either started with G or somewhat rhymed with Gummi.

"This clan is weird," I thought to myself.

The rest of us already made our introductions before we started eating, so the only thing left was to get right down to business.

"So, Silverbolt," Gruffi started, "What business brings you to our clan tonight?"

"We came to see about getting your clan safely out of the country," Silverbolt answered.

"Is that so?" Gruffi replied.

"He's a knight in shining armor come to rescue us from the Hunters," Sunni giggled and grabbed Silverbolt's big furry arm, "Isn't that right, Mr. Silverbolt?"

"Well, uh," he chuckled nervously. "I wouldn't call myself a knight."

"Why not? You're British enough," I pointed out. "You'd probably make a hell of a better knight than most people that actually hold that title."

"But this is hardly a fairy tale, Jigen," he replied, "Our villain is far from any you'll find in any book."

"I agree," Gruffi said, "So what are you, some kind of rescue squad or somethin'?"

"You could say that," Silver replied, "We are part of a group trying to get all gargoyles out of New Liberty. Up to this point we've only been able to rescue small handfuls of survivors from clans that have already been killed, ourselves included. This is the first full clan we've found still alive and well."

"Well, I think everyone can agree that we're all sick of this place," Gruffi said with a grin on his face, "I'll accept your help if it'll get us out."

"Leave?" Gusto blurted out, "And leave behind my glorious masterpieces?"

"It's paint on a wall!" Gruffi yelled. "Get over it!"

"Think of it this way, Gusto," Cubbi spoke up, "Hundreds of years from now some archeologist might find these paintings and come up with some funny story about how they were painted by Neanderthals."

"Hey, that IS an interesting concept," Gusto replied, "Although they'd have to be some damned talented Neanderthals."

"Could you please pass some more of that stew?" said Tummi from the end of the table.

"You've had two helpings already, Tummi," Grammi said as she shoved the pot over to him.

"Does that surprise you?" Gruffi said, "I'd think you of all people would expect that out of him by now. Tummi has no sense of taste, so of course he likes your cooking."

"I do too have taste," Tummi replied as he scooped up some stew. "I just haven't found a food I didn't like."

"You'll eat just about anything that's given to you," Gruffi said, "If you were blindfolded we could give you a rock and you'd eat it without even knowing it."

"But a rock isn't food," Tummi replied.

"Well, it's nice to know you're at least smart enough to know that," Gruffi said.

"I wonder what rocks would taste like if they were food," Tummi said as he swigged a big spoonful of the stew.

"Probably about the same as all this crap we're eating right now," Gruffi replied.

"You think so?" Tummi said.

"Just eat your stew," Gruffi said.

"I can do that," Tummi replied and kept eating.

"This clan is REALLY weird," I thought.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Silverbolt)

"So where are we going?" Jigen asked as Gruffi led us back down the tunnel and back to the where the mine split in three.

"To see my sister, Ursa," he said, "She lives with a few others down one of the other tunnels."

"Why does she not live with you and the others?" I asked.

"She's a radical, that's why," he answered, "She won't even hold to our clan's traditional surname. Instead she goes by Barbic, and so did all who followed her."

"Did?" Boober asked.

"Our clan was originally a lot larger than it is now," Gruffi explained, "There were about twenty of us. But Ursa got the bright idea to wage war on the human race, so she took all who would follow her, which consisted of more than half the clan, and attacked a random police station. Of course, in doing that, they got the attention of the Hunters."

"Psh, THAT was smart," Red replied in sarcasm.

"I remember hearing about that on the news," Boober said, "It was only a couple of months ago. A group of enraged gargoyles attacked the police station in South Rock. The report said they were all killed."

"Not all of 'em," Gruffi said, "Three survived, Ursa and two others. They dragged their barely conscious asses back to us, and we had to evacuate from our home so the Hunters wouldn't track them there. We ended up settling down in this mine. My part of the clan settled in the larger room at the end of the longer tunnel, and she and her comrades took the one in the shorter tunnel. We haven't spoken since."

"If you aren't talking to each other, then why are we going there?" Jigen asked.

"Despite the damage she's done to our clan," Gruffi answered, "She's my sister. If we're leaving, I'm taking everyone I can, so I have to at least give Ursa the option of coming with us. My conscience won't allow me to do otherwise."

"You mean GRAMMI won't allow you to do otherwise," Red said.

"That too," Gruffi replied.

We arrived at the split in the tunnel and began walking again through the one tunnel that continued the main one.

"Hey, what's down this third tunnel?" Red asked.

"That tunnel spirals down into the ground for a while," Gruffi answered, "And it ends at a huge cavern with a natural spring. That's where we get our water around here. We call it the Spiral Cavern."

"Fitting," Jigen replied.

"Can you swim in it?" Red asked.

"Yeah, Cubbi's gone swimming in it lots of times," Gruffi answered, "Usually without permission."

"That sounds awesome," Red said and stopped in front of that tunnel as the rest of us kept going. "I'm going this way."

"What?" Boober replied, "But you don't know what else is down there."

"Well, I'm gonna find out," she said and started walking down the tunnel.

"Red, wait!" Boober called and went in after her.

"Will they be alright?" I asked as I watched them disappear around the bend.

"They'll be fine," Gruffi said and continued down the other tunnel, "We won't be leaving until tomorrow, so they can spend the day there for all I care. The only place around here that isn't safe is anywhere outside the mine."

"I dunno," Jigen said, "These old beams don't look like they can support this much weight for very long. I'd worry about this place caving in at any given moment."

"We haven't seen any signs of such," Gruffi replied, "If we did, I would've already taken the clan someplace else. This mine's been here for centuries and it's still holding up pretty well. I wouldn't worry too much about it."

"I hope you're right," I replied.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Boober)

"Don't you just love the Spiral Cavern?" Red asked as we kept walking down and down in this spiraling tunnel.

"Yes indeed," I replied in sarcasm, "The old downward spiral... Perfect."

I also noticed that the deeper we went down this tunnel, the more illuminated the rocks seemed to be. The more light there was, the more clearly I could see the walls of the tunnel. And all the while as we walked it felt like the tunnel was getting more and more narrow. I knew that this was just my fear playing tricks with my mind, so I lowered my hat so all I could see was the ground and Red's feet in front of me.

"Damn this claustrophobia," I thought to myself as I loosened my scarf because it started to feel like it was choking me. "I can't stand this. I should've just stayed at home."

Finally the tunnel leveled off and opened up as we arrived at the cavern. My nerves finally calmed back down as we entered the cavern. It truly was huge. It was large enough that I actually felt quite comfortable in it. The spring took up most of the cavern, really looking more like a small lake. The lights from the rocks above gave it a calming atmosphere. I took my hat off for a moment to wipe the sweat off my brow.

"This is amazing," Red said as she looked around at the scene before us. "Boober, isn't it beautiful?"

"It's really something," I admitted. "I actually feel really comfortable here."

"So it was worth enduring the tunnel, huh?" Red asked and nudged my arm with her elbow.

"I suppose so," I replied and looked over to her, noticing that she was pulling her turtleneck sweater over her head. "What are you doing?"

"I'm gonna go swimming," she said as she removed it completely and tossed it aside, "And I'm sure as hell not gonna go getting my clothes wet."

She had stripped down to her undergarments before I even had time to react. I blushed as I pushed my hat down over my eyes and turned my head away.

"You could've warned me!" I complained as I held my hat down with my talon.

"Like you've never wished you could see me in my lingerie," she said.

"That doesn't make it any less indecent!" I said as the red on my face intensified.

I heard her footsteps as she stepped up in front of me. She put her talon on my head and lifted my hat back up so I could see her face. I had to resist the urge to look down at her cleavage.

"You are such a baby," she said as she rolled her eyes and released my hat.

I listened as she walked away from me and into the water.

"This water's amazingly warm," Red called as she swam. "Come in and join me!"

"I'm fine right here, thanks," I called back, still pressing my hat down.

"Boober," she called, "For once in your miserable life, let yourself go and have a little fun!"

"Red, please," I said, "You're in your underwear. It's just not decent."

"Screw decency!" she yelled, "You don't have to cover your eyes. It's just me."

"All the more reason not to look," I replied.

"Ugh!" She groaned.

There was a lot of splashing as she marched out of the water, approached me, snatched my hat from me and tossed it aside. Then she grabbed my scarf and tossed that over with my hat.

"Red, wait a minute!" I pleaded and backed away. "What are you doing?!"

"You came all the way down here with me, Boober," she said as she stood there glaring at me, "And I know very well why. It's the same reason you came with me to Paradigm City. I'm not gonna let that be your only excuse to go anywhere with me. If you're gonna follow me around everywhere, you're gonna do SOMETHING enjoyable. I don't want all your memories to be of the sidelines."

"Red..." I replied, but I couldn't bring myself to say anything else.

"Don't keep me waiting," she said as she turned around and started walking back.

"But..." I said.

"You don't have to strip to your underwear," she said, "Just take off your shirt and jump in."

I hesitated for a moment as I watched her go back into the water. I untucked my shirt and took it off. I tossed it aside and walked over to the spring. I paused as my feet stepped into the water.

"It is warm," I thought, looking down at the water.

"Hurry up," Red urged and waved to me.

"Alright," I replied and stepped forward.

"Just watch that step," she said.

"What ste--?" I started to ask as I suddenly plunged into the water.

I flapped my wings to pull myself back up to the surface. I burst out and took a deep breath.

"I told you," she laughed.

I shook some of the water out of my hair and pulled my wet bangs from my eyes. She swam up to me so her face was inches from mine. She looked at me for a moment, smiling a crooked smile. It was rare that I'd see her smile. I couldn't help but smile back.

"What?" I asked.

She shook her head and chuckled.

"You're such a dork," she said as she put her talon on my head and dunked me back down.

As soon as I was back underwater, she started swimming away from me. As she swam, she turned around and made a face at me, and then turned back around and kept swimming away, initiating a game of underwater tag, and I was it.

"Fine, I'll play your game," I thought as I swam after her.

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(Silverbolt)

"We will NOT leave!" The female named Ursa yelled as Gruffi tried to explain our situation, "Not until we've exacted our revenge!"

This female was the same shade of brown as Gruffi, with the same color blonde hair, but she wore her hair long and loose, and she stood much taller than he did. She was nearly as tall as I was. She wore a blood red shirt with dark brown pants and a stainless steel Viking-style helmet on her head. On her belt she wore a sword on her left side and a large gun on her right. Behind her were two larger male gargoyles, one of a dark red color with black hair, and one of a dark gray color with no hair. Both of them appeared as if prepared for battle.

The room we were in was much smaller than the one Gruffi's clan was staying in, but it had much more stored inside. There were several tables around the room, all with various pieces of equipment piled ontop of them. Some were old mining tools, such as pickaxes, shovels, and various forms of explosives. Others were tools of battle, such as swords, axes, and various types of firearms.

"Revenge?" Gruffi replied, "Revenge?! After what happened to you the LAST time?!"

"My cause was just!" she proclaimed, "The humans in this country must be exterminated if our people are to be safe here!"

"Right," Gruffi replied in sarcasm, "And we all saw how successful that was."

"Our defeat was a small setback," she replied.

"Your barbaric crusade cost us half the clan!" Gruffi yelled. "And you were barely alive when you came home to us! I'm just glad your son wasn't anywhere near that bloodbath!"

"You leave Buddi out of this!" she yelled back.

"This concerns him too, Ursa!" Gruffi replied, "What kind of an example are you giving him by sending your own family out to die?!"

"They followed me of their own free will!" she retorted, "They knew the job was dangerous when they took it!"

"It was beyond dangerous, Ursa!" Gruffi said, "It was suicidal!"

"Should we be listening to this?" Jigen asked.

"You're fine," Gruffi said to us. "It's not your fault Ursa's so damn stubborn."

"No more so than you, brother," she replied.

"So you won't leave, huh?" Gruffi asked.

"My decision is final," she said.

"Fine," Gruffi replied and turned to leave, "It's your funeral. I just hope you someday realize just how big a risk you're taking. It's not just your own skin at stake here, and not just those of your so-called warriors, but also your son's. Think about that."

He began to walk away. We could only look back and forth between the two and then follow Gruffi out.

"We leave tomorrow night, Ursa," Gruffi said as we walked away, "If you haven't changed your mind by then, you'll be left to your glorified suicide."

(To be continued...)


	19. Chapter 18: Marooned

Gold Demona

**Chapter XVIII**

Marooned

(Boober)

(The Next Night...)(October 25, 2110 A.D.)

I burst from my sleep with a smile on my face. Red and I had spent the rest of the night in the cavern and ended up spending the day. Of course we put our clothes back on before going to sleep. It just wouldn't have felt right if we didn't. When I finished stretching I noticed an elderly human standing in front of us.

"Ah, you're awake," the man greeted, tipping his hat, "It must be nighttime."

He was a very short human, and very old. He had a long white beard with matching long hair and a big poofy moustache, and he stood hunched over. He dressed in typical miner's garb and carried a large backpack full of all kinds of equipment. We stared down at him as he greeted us.

"Who are you?" Red asked.

"I'm just an old man living at the bottom of the mine," he answered, "I rarely get visitors down here, save for the children from the clan that lives above. They call me Uncle Pom."

"You live down here?" I asked.

"That's right," he said with a nod, "I've lived here for many years now. I was the only one in this mine until the clan moved in. Until they arrived here, I was certain that this was still one of the United States. It really is a shame what has happened, that such good people are forced into hiding like this."

"But you weren't down here last night when we came down here," Red said.

"Oh yes I was," he said and pointed to the far side of the cavern, "I was sleeping in that corner over there. I awoke to find two statues in the cavern. When I first saw you two sleeping here, I thought you might be goblins come to torment me. I am an old man, and my eyesight isn't what it used to be."

"Goblins?" Red and I both said in unison.

"Yes, goblins," he answered, "But I realized rather quickly what you were when I came closer, and I was thinking to myself, 'What is a pair of gargoyles doing sleeping this deep in the mine?' Because even the children who come to visit me from the clan never stay the day down here. Then it occurred to me that you were probably not of the clan at all."

"That's right, we're not," I said.

"How delightful," Uncle Pom replied with a smile, "Visitors from outside the mine. I don't suppose you could spare a moment to chat with an old man? The children are pleasant enough company, but it's nice to be able to talk to some adults every once in a while."

"Well, I don't see why not," Red answered.

"Red, we really should be heading back up," I said.

"What's your hurry?" she asked, "Eager to get back into the tunnel?"

"That's not funny," I replied, "We're leaving tonight, remember? The others will worry if we're not back soon."

"We're not leaving right away," she said, "This poor guy doesn't get very many visitors besides those kids, and after tonight he probably won't ever get any more."

"That's true," I replied, finding myself unable to argue. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to stay for a little while."

"Splendid," Uncle Pom replied and pointed off somewhere behind us, "We can sit over there by the fire."

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(Silverbolt)

"So are we to try again at asking your sister to join us?" I asked.

"I suppose we should," Gruffi replied, although he was not displaying much enthusiasm for it, "Although it's not like she's gonna change her mind overday."

"I think she should at least be given another chance," I said. "If not for her, then for her son."

"Yeah, Gruffi," Cubbi said, "Buddi's my friend. I don't want him to stay here. The Hunters might get him."

"I know that," Gruffi replied, "But Ursa's his mother, and I can't take him if she doesn't say so."

"But that's not fair," Cubbi sobbed. "Why can't you make her understand?"

"It's not that easy, kid," Gruffi said. "I wish it was."

"Can't you do something, Silverbolt?" Sunni asked, holding my talon and looking up at me.

"It is not my place," I answered, "We are only here to give everyone the choice to leave. If they choose not to take it, I cannot force it upon them."

"Come, Children," Grammi called, "We have to get ready to leave."

"But Grammi," they both replied.

"No buts," she said, "We have to be ready for when we leave."

They both walked away, heads hung.

"Well, if we're gonna do this," Gruffi said and started walking to the tunnel, "We'd better hurry up and get it over with."

"Grrr..." Krypto began to growl suddenly and then bolted down the tunnel.

"Krypto!" I called to him and began to give chase when a small brown male gargoyle ran into the room.

"Gruffi!" the child yelled.

"Buddi?!" he replied, stopping on the spot, "What's goin' on?"

"Mom's in trouble!" he said, "There's a monster outside attacking the mine, and Mom took it on by herself!"

"What?!" he yelled and ran out to the tunnel, Buddi following behind him.

Jigen and I looked at each other and then bolted after them.

"What about Red and Boober?" Jigen asked as we ran, "They never came up from the cavern."

"They will join us when they do come back up," I answered, "Hopefully they won't take too long in doing such."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Boober)

"So then," Uncle Pom began as he poked the small fire with a stick, "What's this you said about me not getting any more visitors?"

"The reason we're here," Red said, "Is to take the clan out of here and send them out of the country."

"Oh, I see," he replied and then smiled, "That's wonderful news. They will be much safer elsewhere, and they can all live normal happy lives. Out where the children can go to school, play outdoors, and grow up happily to become good productive members of society instead of always living in refuge. This brings me much joy. True, I will miss the company, but this mine is no place to raise a family. Especially not in the state this mine is in."

"What state is that?" I asked.

"The mine is dying," he said, "The beams are deteriorating and the rocks cry out as they strain to hold their own weight."

The both of us blinked at him for a moment, confused by what he'd just said.

"The rocks do what?" Red asked.

Uncle Pom broke into laughter after she asked that.

"I'm sorry," he laughed, "I'm sure that must've sounded strange to you. The rocks in this mine are filled with magic. Before I began my career as a miner, I dabbled in sorcery. I can sense the magic in this mine, and I can feel what the mine feels. The rocks talk to me. They tell me their stories of the miners before me. Of how everything was in days before. When this mine was nothing more than a large rock, before humans came to dig everything out of it. When this cavern and spring were completely separate from the world above."

"What was in here, anyway?" Red asked, "What's so special about a bunch of glowing rocks?"

"These rocks," he explained, "As I said, are filled with magic. This magic is what causes the glow that lights the mine. The people who first dug up the mine discovered this and dug feverishly into the rock, taking all the rocks they could out of the mine. Their base of operation was the room at the end of the main tunnel. After setting up their base, they began to dig in a downward slant."

"Were they the ones who dug all the way to this cavern?" I asked.

"No," he answered, "They stopped halfway down."

"Why'd they do that?" Red asked, "Weren't these rocks making them any money?"

"Oh yes, they made plenty," he said, "However they eventually realized that the magic in the rocks they took out of the mine quickly died out. The rocks that held so much magic became plain ordinary rocks, and no matter how hard they tried, they could never figure out what the cause was. So they stopped their digging and left the mine. For many decades the mine remained untouched, until one day a new dig team came to reap the rewards that lie within."

"Were you part of that team?" I asked.

"Mm-hmm," he answered and nodded, "Fifty years ago, when I was a young lad of twenty. I came to this mine with a dig team to continue the spiraling downward dig. We were a much larger team than the one that was here before, and thus needed more space to work. So we dug a new tunnel to the side and set up our base there."

"So that's why the tunnel goes three ways," I realized out loud. "One to the old base, one to the newer base, and one down here to the cavern."

"That's right," he replied, "We continued the digging downward. As you would probably guess, we ran into the same problem the previous team had."

"The rocks losing their magic," Red replied.

"Exactly," he replied, "It was very strange. The rocks we took out simply lost all their magic when we took them out. However, unlike the previous team, we were able to dig deep enough that we were able to notice that the deeper one dug into the rock, the brighter the light was that shone from the rocks. I'm sure you two noticed that as you came down."

We both nodded.

"Seeing this, we decided to dig deeper to see what we could find, until eventually we arrived at this cavern. That's when we discovered that it wasn't the rocks themselves that held the magic, but the spring within this cavern."

"The spring?" we both asked and looked back at the spring we'd just swam in the night before.

"From what I was told," he continued, "This spring was created by the third race as a means to better channel their power in the mortal world. The magic here is so powerful that it seeps into the very rock that contains it, that's why this mine behaves the way it does. However, this spring was never meant to touch the air of the mortal world. Opening the tunnel to it brought about the wrath of Oberon himself."

"And what happened then?" Red asked.

"My memory of that incident is very fuzzy," he said, "All I can remember is that afterwards, everyone was gone, and I was the only one left in the mine. I began to walk up the tunnel to leave, but halfway up I felt the need to come back and stay here. And since then I've been living here in this cavern. Several times I've trekked my way up the spiral tunnel, only to find myself stopping halfway and turning back. For fifty years I haven't seen the light of the sun or the glitter of the stars."

"You can't leave?" I asked.

"Apparently not," he said, "Since that day, I have not been able to leave. It's not because I got tired halfway, or that I'd forgotten anything in the cavern. It simply was that I could not leave."

"But why?" Red asked.

"I'm not entirely sure," he said. "If I had to guess, I would say that Oberon has cursed me to stay here as punishment for disturbing his spring."

"That's not right," Red retorted, "Just who the hell is this Oberon to bind a human to a cavern like that?"

"Oberon is the King of the Third Race," he replied. "Ruler of the magical land of Avalon and all who dwell there. His word is law. There have been few who denied his bidding and lived to tell the tale. I accepted my fate a long time ago. I suppose my only purpose here is to pass this story to anyone willing to listen."

"But that's just so sad," I said. "I can't imagine spending my whole life in such a small, dark space."

"Don't be sad for me," he said, "I have no regrets. My life here has been a very good one. I have come to be friends with this mine and everything in it, and I am willing to die among them."

After he finished saying that, his eyes suddenly opened really wide. And then he lifted his hands to his head, as if it was hurting. We both got up and stepped closer to him.

"Uncle Pom?" Red said.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"They're screaming," he said, "The rocks are screaming in pain. Something's happening. Something terrible. It's not safe here anymore. You have to go."

"But what about you?" Red asked right before the ground started shaking. The shaking stopped after a second.

"Don't worry about me," he said, "I told you, I have accepted my fate and will die with this mine. The clan needs you. Now go!"

"But, Uncle Pom," I said.

"Just go!" he yelled before I could say anything and pushed us away. "Hurry!"

We ran across the cavern and started our way up the tunnel.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Jigen)

We got out of the mine just in time to see Ursa get flung into the rock wall.

"Ursa!" Gruffi yelled and ran over to her.

Silverbolt and I followed to make sure she was okay.

"Forget about me!" she growled as she slowly got back up, holding her limp bleeding arm as her eyes glowed bright red, "Get the monster!"

I looked over to what threw her. At first glance he looked like a huge muscular human, but he was a lot harrier. He had dark tan skin, dark gray hair, bushy light gray eyebrows, and big nasty fangs. He had big heavy-looking chains all over him, and he wore clothes made of fur under all the chains. He was big, and he was ugly, and he was currently fighting with Krypto.

They slowly circled each other like a pair of dogs ready to attack. Krypto lunged forward at Big Ugly, mouth wide open and eyes glowing with rage. The guy jumped aside. Krypto landed on the ground but immediately jumped over to him. He grabbed Krypto by one of his legs and tossed him into the rock face of the mine.

He turned to look at us and then lunged in our direction. Silverbolt jumped aside and I jumped straight up as this guy lunged at us, causing him to smack face-first into the rock wall behind us. While I was up in the air I reached behind my back and into my holster, but all I was grabbing was empty air.

"Dammit, I forgot," I thought to myself as I remembered what had happened to my gun.

So instead I readied my claws as gravity took over and brought me down on his back. I dug into his flesh the second I was on him. He let out a loud roar. He then grabbed my tail and yanked me off, just about dislocating my tail as I landed flat on my back. He turned around, baring his teeth at me. He lifted his foot and brought it over my chest. I rolled over just before his foot slammed into the rock ground. A second later, I saw a big gray blur tackle him to the ground away from me. I got up and saw Silverbolt wrestling with him. The monster kicked up and knocked Silverbolt off of him, sending him flying. Silverbolt steadied himself and landed on his feet a couple yards away from him.

"Who are you?" Silverbolt asked, "Why are you here?"

"I am Ashitare," the monster answered, "It should be obvious why I'm here."

"You were sent here by the Hunters," Silverbolt replied.

"I was sent here by the Prime Ruler," he said, "To feast on whatever clan I found here."

"You are a monster," Silverbolt said.

"YOU are the monster," Ashitare replied and lunged at him, "And I will thoroughly enjoy the taste of your strong warrior flesh."

I saw Gruffi and Krypto run past me and over to Ashitare. I wasn't long in following. While Ashitare and Silverbolt duked it out, The three of us leapt into the air and slammed him into the mine wall. He swung his arm and sent me flying back to the mine entrance. I got back up and saw everyone from Gruffi's clan, as well as everyone from Ursa's group. The only people still not accounted for were Red and Boober.

"This isn't good," I thought and started running back to the fight. "What could they be doing?"

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Red)

We ran up and up and up. The spiraling tunnel seemed to go on forever. The ground would shake every moment or so, but nothing terrible.

"What do you think could be happening?" Boober asked me as we ran.

"How the hell should I know?" I asked, annoyed that he would ask such a thing, "Something bad, that's all I know. For all I know it could be the Hunters."

"If that's the case, then what are WE expected to do?" he asked.

"Fight, of course," I said, "That's why we're here, isn't it?"

We were almost at the top of the spiral, when the ground started shaking more violently. It knocked both of us off our feet as rocks started to fall from the ceiling.

"We have to get out of here!" Boober screamed.

I got up and started running. I saw Boober start to get up, so I kept running. Then there was a loud crash behind me.

"Red!" I heard Boober call from where we were knocked down.

I turned back and saw that he was pinned to the ground. I ran back to him and there was a big boulder ontop of his left wing.

"Boober!" I yelled and lifted the boulder from his crushed wing. "Come on!"

I lifted him back up and we started to run, but then we found ourselves trapped in a storm of falling rocks.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Jigen)

Things weren't looking good. The four of us were constantly on Ashitare, but he refused to wear down. Silverbolt and Gruffi were both on him at the moment, Silver at his front and Gruffi on his back. Krypto was biting at the guy's arm, and I was getting ready to pounce back in when I noticed Ursa out of the corner of my eye. She was holding a high-power sniper rifle, and trying to aim it with the injuries on her arm.

"Hey!" I yelled and ran over to her. "What the hell are you doing?"

"What's it LOOK like I'm doing?" she growled, "I'm going to blast that thing to pulp."

"You can barely aim the damn thing," I said, and grabbed the rifle. She kept hold of it and started pulling back. "I'll do it."

"Hell no!" she yelled, "I'm not trusting my weaponry to a stranger!"

"Look! You have injuries, and they're messing up your aim! If you miss, you could kill somebody other than the target! I can shoot it and not hit our guys!"

She glared at me for a moment.

"How well can you handle a gun?" she asked.

"Hmph," I chuckled, "That's like asking a cheetah how fast it can run."

She grinned and let go of the gun. I knelt down and pointed the rifle at the fighting four.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Boober)

I opened my eyes, looking around me from where I was lying on the ground.

"I'm alive," I thought in amazement as I sat up and looked down to see Red also sitting back up.

"Ah!" I yelped in pain as my left wing hung limp from where it was broken.

"Ugh, what happened?" she asked, holding her head.

"Red, are you okay?" I asked.

"I'm fine," she said and looked over to me. "Ow, that looks painful."

"It is," I said, "But right now, that's not our main problem."

We both looked around and quickly realized that we were in a space no bigger than a closet. There were rocks all around us, as if the pile laid itself around us. Above us, ontop of the pile was part of the ceiling, which looked a lot lower than it was. I had the feeling that if we tried to move any of the rocks, the ceiling would come down to crush us. Red was investigating the one side of the space, and I was on the other side.

"Well no problem," she said, "I've seen these old rockslides before."

"We're trapped, Red," I said plainly, looking closely at the rocks in front of me, "In this little tiny space."

"Yeah" she replied, "It is kinda small in here, isn't it?"

I let out a sigh as I made a strange realization.

"Thank goodness I have my claustrophobia under control," I said, "Otherwise I'd feel like these walls were closing in on me, and pressing in, and in, until..."

"Until..." Red said, sounding nervous, "I can't breathe... I've gotta get out of here!"

She then began to scream frantically. I turned around and saw her in a complete panic, jumping around at the walls and screaming like a maniac.

"Red!" I yelled and went over to her, grabbing her shoulders so she'd stay still, "Red! Snap out of it!"

She had a look of terror on her face. Eyes wide and full of tears as she continued screaming.

"Red!" I yelled, trying to talk over her screaming, "We've got to cope! If I can cope, anybody can cope!"

Slowly, her screaming died down. After a while she plunged her face into my shirt, bawling like a baby. I wrapped my arms around her to try and comfort her. For once it was her suffering from the claustrophobia instead of me. Seeing her like this made me feel very uneasy.

"Oh Red," I thought as she continued to cry, "This was not something I ever wanted you to experience. Even for all those times you made fun of me for it."

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(Silverbolt)

As Krypto, Gruffi and I continued to fight this beast of a man, I could feel every muscle on my body begin to strain. The fight had gone on for several minutes, the three of us against this one man, and still the battle showed no signs of ending.

"Soon I will feast," he said, as he tackled me to the ground, the feathers on my wings grinding with the rock ground below me. I was very thankful I had my armor, without which I would have surely sustained more injuries than I already did.

"Say good-bye," he said to me.

Then a rock flew from seemingly nowhere and hit him in the head. We both looked to where the rock was thrown from, and there Gruffi and Krypto stood in front of Ursa and Jigen, who was aiming a rifle right at Ashitare.

"Good-bye," Jigen said as he pulled the trigger.

I heard a loud bang, and an instant later, there was blood flowing from Ashitare's chest. He fell to his side, thankfully away from me. I rolled aside and rose to my feet, slowly stepping closer to him.

"Did we get 'im?" Jigen asked as he ran up.

Gruffi and Ursa ran up behind him as we all looked down at the monstrosity before us. He was still alive, but only barely. He looked up at us with a look of pure hatred on his face. Enraged that he had been defeated, but powerless to do anything. He struggled to hold himself up with his arms as his life slowly left him. The last thing he did was reach his arm to me, growling with rage as his strength gave in and he fell lifeless to the ground. The instant he fell, everyone else ran up to join us and looked down at him.

"Is he really dead?" Cubbi asked and stepped closer to him.

"Cubbi, stay away from there!" Gruffi yelled and pulled him back. "We're not completely sure he's dead."

Krypto walked up to him and sniffed at the lifeless form. He snorted, as if he had found a smell he didn't like, and he turned around and walked away.

"I guess that means he really is dead," Jigen said.

"Did you even SEE the shot he took?" Ursa asked, "Straight to the heart. Of course he's dead. There's no way in hell anyone could still be alive after that. I couldn't have made a better shot even if I wasn't injured."

"Thanks for the praise, but I've got one question," Jigen said, "What the hell WAS that? He was sent here alone and he was able to find this place without any kind of equipment. And he fought like a frickin' animal! He had FOUR of us on 'im, and he swatted us around like frickin' gnats."

"This man WAS an animal," I said as I approached the body and laid a talon on it. "He appears to have some canine characteristics, such as these fangs. Perhaps he also had a canine's sense of smell."

"But how would a human GET such power?" Ursa asked.

"If he works for the Prime Ruler," Grammi said, "There's no telling what kind of atrocities they did to make him this way."

"No foolin'," Tummi said, "He wanted to eat us. That's just crazy. I wouldn't wanna eat a gargoyle."

"Yeah, even Tummi's pickier than that," Gruffi said.

I looked over to the body and noticed that Jigen had his sight fixated on a particular spot on him. He stood beside the corpse, staring down at it.

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(Jigen)

"That's not possible," I thought as I stared at the design tattooed at the base of Ashitare's back.

The tangle of curves, the circle in the center, and the symbols all around it. It was identical to the one I saw on Gold's back.

"Just what the hell IS he?" I thought. "Was he born with this mark, too? Too bad he's dead. I can't ask him."

"Is something wrong, Jigen?" Silverbolt asked, breaking my train of thought.

I stepped back away from the corpse and started walking away.

"I thought I saw something," I said as I walked past everyone.

I noticed as I finished passing everyone that not everyone was there.

"Wait a minute," I said as I turned back around to face everyone again, "Where the hell are Red and Boober? They can't STILL be in the cavern. Not after all this noise we've been making."

"Ar! AR-AR! AR!" Krypto barked as he ran out of the mine and over to us. "AR! ARARAR! ARRR! AR!"

"What are you yapping about?" I asked.

He bolted back to the mine, barked at us again and ran inside.

"Something must've happened," Silverbolt said and bolted after him.

"Oh no," I thought and bolted behind him as a sick feeling started welling up in my chest, "What if--?"

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Boober)

"I don't wanna die here," Red sobbed.

We sat on the ground next to each other, leaning back on one of the rock walls. She sat with her arms crossed over her knees and her wings draped over her shoulders like a cape. She was still crying, but not nearly as frantic as she was earlier. I was being careful not to make any movements because any move I made would cause my wing to hurt like crazy.

"It doesn't help to be afraid," I said.

She looked up at me, sniffing one last sniff.

"How come you're not afraid?" She asked. "You're ALWAYS afraid."

"It's funny," I said, leaning my head back on the wall, "I'm not nearly as afraid as I used to get when I only THOUGHT about awful things happening."

I then looked right to her.

"YOU were always the brave one," I pointed out.

"A lot of times," she replied, "I was REALLY scared."

I blinked when she said that. I never thought of her to be scared of anything.

"I didn't know that about you," I said.

She leaned closer to me, leaning her head on my shoulder.

"I'm glad you're here with me, Boober," She said.

"It wouldn't be nice to be alone," I replied as I put my arm on her shoulders.

"What are we gonna do now?" she asked, raising her talon to my chest and grabbing hold of my shirt.

"Let's think about our friends," I said, "And hope for the best. Nobody else can help us now."

"Our friends," she said, "Our clan. It just figures. I came here because I wanted to finally do something useful, something to help our cause, and my first time out we end up like this."

"It's not your fault, Red," I said, "This mine was gonna collapse sooner or later anyway."

"Yeah, but if I hadn't wanted to come down to the Spiral Cavern, we wouldn't be in this mess."

I looked at her for a moment.

"Let's not think about that," I said. "Silverbolt and Jigen will find us, and when they do, they'll rescue us. They have Krypto with them, remember? They'll find us in no time. You'll see."

"Right," she said and leaned closer.

For a long time after that, we just sat there, and we waited, listening for any sign that help was coming. I could feel my sense of hope weakening with every passing minute. I didn't want to think that we wouldn't be rescued, but it was difficult to keep our spirits up when our only option was to wait. Wait for our rescue. Wait for death. Wait for whatever our fate happens to be. All we could do was wait.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Jigen)

I just about threw my hat at the sight of it. All three tunnels were completely engulfed in rocks, but the only one I had any interest in was the tunnel to the Spiral Cavern.

"No," I said, walking up to the wall and feeling around the rocks, "Boober, no!"

I started digging through the rocks with my bare talons, but then I looked up and noticed that the ceiling there was loose and looked like it could come crashing down at any moment. If I wasn't careful, that chunk of rock would fall and crush everything underneath it. I looked back down at rest of the rocks and noticed some brown fabric sticking out from between the rocks. I carefully pulled it out, and I recognized it immediately. It was Boober's scarf. The talon that was holding it tightened into a fist and my teeth clenched shut.

"Son of a bitch!" I yelled through my clenched teeth, using that fist to punch a dent into one of the more solid walls.

"Mind your tongue, Jigen!" Silverbolt scolded, and then I remembered there were kids with us. "And your temper! Are you trying to cause another rockslide?"

"I'm sorry," I said, still shaking my head in disbelief at the caved-in tunnel, "But my brother's in there!"

"I know that," he said, "And so is Red. If we are to help them, we must go about this calmly."

"What makes you so sure they're even alive in there?" Gruffi asked. "There's no tellin' where in the tunnel they WERE when the rocks came down. For all you know, he could've lost that thing on their way down, and they could still be down in the cavern."

"No, he's right there," I said as I walked up to the wall of rocks and put my talons on it. "I just know it. He's right there, and he's alive."

"Well, we have to find a way to get all those rocks out of the way," Ursa said.

"Hey, Zummi," Sunni said, "Can't you use your magic to move all the rocks?"

"We-we-well, I could try," stuttered the old lavender gargoyle, who hadn't spoken the entire time since we arrived. "Bu-but I can't guarantee I'll be able to safely remove them without causing another cave-in."

"Anything's worth a shot," I said and stepped away from it.

"It-it's a good thing I took my book of magic out of the mine before we left," he stuttered and pulled a gigantic book out from under his cape and started looking through it. "Now then. L-let's see here. Okay. Let's try this."

He raised his talon and pointed it at the rocks.

"Rumock Bumee Gumon!" he yelled. One rock disappeared from the pile.

"Good job, Zummi" Gruffi said in sarcasm. "You made a rock disappear. Now you just have to do that a hundred more times."

"W-w-wait a moment," he stuttered, "Oh yes, that's just for one rock. L-let me try again."

He raised his talon again and started waving it around.

"Stumone Pumile Dumis-Uma-Pumear!" He yelled. The rocks that engulfed the tunnel to Ursa's base disappeared. When that happened, that part of the ceiling caved in.

All of us stared at the chuck of rock that just fell. I couldn't help but picture what would've happened if it was Boober under that.

"You know what?" I said and started walking over that rock and down the other tunnel, "I think I'd feel safer trying with some tools."

"I'll go with you," Ursa said as she followed me down, "I know where all the tools are."

"Alright," I said as we made our way down to the base.

"You mind if I smoke?" I asked as I reached into my pockets for my cigarettes. "This night's puttin' a lot of stress on me."

"Go ahead," she said.

"Thanks," I said as I stuck the cigarette in my beak and lit it.

"This is gonna be a long night," I thought.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Boober)

We had our ears pressed against the rocks, listening to what was going on. We knew they were out there. We could hear them, but just barely. I couldn't make out what they were saying at all, but I knew what they were doing.

"They're trying to rescue us," I said.

There was some yelling, and then the mine started to rumble. This loosened the rocks that surrounded us, causing the ceiling to drop an inch.

"Ah!" I screamed.

"We're gonna be crushed!" Red yelled as we both quickly backed into the corner.

We panted for a while, watching the ceiling. After a few seconds, we both calmed back down.

"Don't worry, Red," I said as I took off my hat and wiped the sweat from my forehead. "They'll save us."

"Yeah," she agreed. "We'll be out of here in no time. How's your wing?"

"I can hardly feel it anymore," I answered, looking down at it. "The pain's dulled down, and I can barely move it."

"Well, it's a good thing we don't have to glide anywhere," she said with a soft chuckle.

"Yeah," I chuckled back, "Good thing."

We both chuckled for a few seconds, but after a while we wound up just looking at each other, not saying anything. I turned my gaze back at the wall of rocks that stood between us and our freedom. I leaned my head on it, hoping against hope that we would soon be saved.

"Jigen," I thought, "Please hurry."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Jigen)

"Hold on, Boober," I thought as I dug through the rubble that was once Ursa's base, "Just a little longer."

The rockslides smashed the room beyond recognition. Tools were buried and scattered everywhere. It was a good thing Ursa knew where everything was, because if not we would've had a hell of a time trying to figure out where to dig. I was digging for pickaxes. She was digging for ropes.

"Do you honestly think they could be alive in there?" Ursa asked be as she pulled a bundle of rope from where she was digging.

"I know they are," I said.

"But how are you so sure?" she asked as she jumped over to another pile of rocks and started digging there.

"I can't really explain it," I said, "I just know."

"Alright," she said and pulled a big grappling hook out from the pile. "You found it yet?"

"Yeah," I said as I dug the last bit of rock and pulled out two pickaxes. "Got 'em. Let's go."

We climbed out of the room and made our way down the tunnel.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Silverbolt)

If ever there was a night where my value as a gargoyle was truly tested, it was this night. Time was growing short. If we didn't leave the in the next two hours, there would be no chance of us getting anywhere before sunrise. With Ashitare dead, the Prime Ruler would surely send an attack force of Hunters to finish the job.

"If we stay another day," I thought, "We may not live to see another night."

I looked up to the rubble that blocked the tunnel. The rockslide under which Red and Boober were buried.

"If we leave," I continued my thought, "We will surely lose two of our clanmates. Jigen seems certain that they are alive. If that is true, we would be condemning them to death. If they are not already dead, would I be able to live with their deaths on my conscience, knowing that they could have been saved?"

I then looked around at the faces of the clan we met here.

"But would it be too great a risk to stay here?" I thought, "The lives of this clan rest in our talons."

"Silverbolt?" I heard Sunni's small voice call from directly in front of me, breaking me from my trance.

"Yes Sunni?" I replied.

"Is there really a way to get them out of there?" she asked.

I looked down at her. She had her hands together, as if in prayer. She looked as if she was ready to cry. I knelt down closer to her.

"To be honest, I am not entirely certain there is," I said, "I fear this may not have a happy ending."

"Maybe it won't," I heard Jigen's voice say as he walked in from the tunnel, "But that doesn't mean we can't try."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Boober)

I lifted my head from the rock and listened. My spirits sank as I listened. This sound I was hearing had been going on for several minutes now. It was a sound that told me that all hope was lost.

"It's quiet," I said, pointing out what I was hearing, "Maybe they've stopped trying to rescue us."

"Yeah," Red said, softly agreeing with me, "Maybe."

"They couldn't find a way," I thought as I leaned my head back and looked at the ceiling above us. "If that was still secured where it was, we'd be out, but I guess it doesn't matter anymore."

"You know, Boober?" Red said, "I feel kind of giddy."

"Yeah," I replied, feeling that same giddiness, "Giddy and tired."

I turned my head and looked down to her.

"You know what that means, don't you?" I asked.

She turned her head and looked back up at me.

"We're running out of air," she said.

I turned away and looked at the rocks again. I couldn't bear to look at her anymore, knowing that we would both die in this room at any moment, whether by the lack of air or the rocks falling from above us. This wasn't how I wanted things to be between us. Nothing in my life had turned out the way I wanted it to.

I saw my life replaying itself in my mind, like an old movie recording. My childhood, my clan, my life with the band. Everything I ever was, and everything I wasn't. There was so much in my life I wanted to change, things that needed to be fixed, but now I would never be able to fix them.

"What do you think it's like?" Red asked, breaking my train of thought, "To die?"

"I don't know, Red," I answered, "I don't think anybody does."

There was a long pause after that.

"What do you suppose Gobo and the others are doing right now?" she asked.

"Making music," I answered, "That's what they've always been doing. They're probably putting together songs about New Liberty. The only difference is that you're not there to compose and perform with them. It probably won't be the same."

"It never was to begin with," she said, "It was never the same without you. Don't get me wrong. Gobo's done good as our male lead singer, but it was never the same. It just never felt right. All of us felt it, but we kept going anyway."

I couldn't think of anything to say to that. It brought me back to that awful night.

"Did you ever regret leaving the band?" she asked.

"Every night," I said, "Every night since I left I've regretted it, but I couldn't go back. I was at a point where I couldn't sing anymore, so what would've been the point in going back?"

"I remember that night like it was yesterday," she said.

"So do I," I said, "We were in the recording room, finally given the chance to record our first album. We'd just finished our third song."

"And then the phone rang," she said. "And the call was for you."

"It was Madam Heap," I continued, "The leader of my clan. I remember her exact words. 'Boober, I'm afraid I have saddening news for you. Your brother's gone, and he will not be returning. Ever.' And when I asked her what had happened, she refused to tell me anything more. She only told me to forget about him and to move on with my life, and that was the end of the call. I came back to finish recording. When the music started, I opened my beak, but nothing came out."

"I know," she said, "I was there, watching it happen. When we asked you what was wrong all you could say was 'I can't'."

"I couldn't sing anymore," I said, "It was like someone had reached into my soul and taken out the part of me that wanted to sing. I just couldn't do it anymore. So I left."

"And you never came back," she added. "And after we found out what the call was about, I felt so mad. You can't imagine how badly I wanted to strangle Jigen for what he did. I swore to myself I'd deck him the next time I saw him."

"Oh, I know exactly what you mean," I replied, "You were there when I punched him in the gut, remember? After I learned what he was doing, I just wanted him gone, but you know what? When he came back again, I couldn't stay mad at him anymore."

"I would be," she replied, "I still am, I guess. Not as much as before, but you know it's not that easy for me to drop a grudge."

"I know," I replied.

There was a long pause after that. I was starting to have trouble keeping my thoughts straight. We grew more and more tired with every breath we took, making it harder and harder to stay awake.

"Remember when," Red started to sing, "Now and then, everything went wrong. And then our friends would sing the friendship song."

I put my arm around her shoulder and held her close to me.

"You and I," I continued singing, "We'd nearly cry, to know their love was strong. And by and by we'd start to sing along."

She broke into tears and pressed her face to my shoulder.

"I don't wanna die, Boober," she sobbed, "I don't wanna die."

"I know," I replied, "Don't go to sleep. Okay, Red?"

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Jigen)

I examined the rocks carefully, seeing how they were stacked together so I could figure out the best place to start digging, but I just couldn't see any place that even looked remotely safe. I looked down, noticing Krypto scratching at a particular place, but not digging. He made a long whining noise as he pawed at the rocks.

"We're running out of time," I said.

"The spot Krypto is looking at seems to be best place to dig," Silverbolt said, "The only problem I see would be to keep these rocks above it from falling."

"Zummi," Gruffi said, "Think you can handle holding up a few rocks with your magic while we dig out what's underneath?"

"Oh w-w-well, I think so," he stuttered, "B-but these rocks are very heavy, and it would take a lot of concentration."

"You'd just need to hold up that little section," Gruffi said and pointed out the spot on the wall. "We'll dig quickly so you won't have to hold it for very long."

"Al-alright," Zummi replied, "I'll try."

He thumbed through his book until he found whatever spell it was he was looking for. He raised his talon and shut his eyes.

"Sumuh-Spumend Humold Umup!" He said.

His talon started to glow, and so did the section of rock that we needed him to hold up.

"Alright," he groaned, keeping his talon up and his eyes shut tight, "Now!"

I didn't hesitate to swing my pickaxe into the rocks, yanking out all I could. Gruffi, Ursa, and Silverbolt were all digging too, though Gruffi was the only other one with a pick. After we'd dug in a couple feet, I tossed my pick aside and started digging with my talons. It just seemed faster to me, since I could naturally dig through rock. I found myself on my talons and knees crawling under the rocks as I kept digging forward. I'd gone way ahead of everyone else, so I couldn't see them anymore. I knew I'd finally gotten to the end when the rock I was currently digging at fell forward away from me and into the cavity ahead.

"Boober!" I called as I reached my talon through the hole I'd found.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Boober)

I heard a rock fall beside me and saw a talon reaching from behind it.

"Boober!" I heard him call. "Can you hear me?"

"Jigen," I called back as I fell towards his talon and grabbed it. "I hear you. We're right here."

"Damn, we have to get you out of there," he said, "Is Red alright?"

"I'm fine," she answered.

"Good," Jigen replied and pulled his talon back and started making the hole bigger. "We've gotta hurry. Zummi's holding the rocks up, and I don't think he'll be able to do that for very long."

"Come on, Red," I said and reached my talon to her, "There's air over here."

She took my talon and came over to where I was, and we both helped Jigen dig the rocks away until the hole was big enough for us to crawl through.

"Let's go," Jigen said and started crawling backwards.

"You first, Red," I said.

She crawled through the hole, following Jigen out, and I followed behind her, my broken wing dragging behind me.

"I'll be glad when this night is over," I thought, looking ahead of me.

As soon as I was completely in the tunnel, I felt the familiar pressing, squeezing feeling.

"No, not now," I thought as I stopped crawling and fell to my belly, paralyzed by my claustrophobia. "Red..."

She was already all the way out and turned around to look at me.

"What are you doing?" she asked. "You can't stay there. You'll be killed."

I forced myself back up and slowly made my way forward, cold sweat running down the back of my neck.

"I have to cope," I thought to myself, "I made it this far. Just a little further."

I was almost at the exit when I suddenly felt a crushing pain in my tail.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Jigen)

"AHHH!!!" Boober screamed as he stopped halfway out.

"What happened?" I asked.

"My tail!" he groaned, "Something fell on my tail!"

"Zummi, what happened?!" Gruffi asked.

"I'm sorry," he strained, "I-I'm trying to hold it. It's just so heavy."

"I can't move," Boober moaned as he tried to pull himself forward.

"Hang on," I said as I wrapped my arms under his and started pulling him out.

"Ah! Careful!" Boober yelped.

"Hurry!" Zummi strained.

"Sorry, Boober, but we don't have time for careful," I said as I tightened my grip around him and yanked him out.

As soon as he was out, the rocks all fell behind us, including part of the ceiling that they were sitting under just a couple minutes ago. Zummi's talon stopped glowing as he collapsed onto his butt.

"You did it!" Cubbi cheered. "You saved them!"

"There's a happy ending after all," Sunni added.

I looked at Red and Boober, who were both just sitting there, breathing heavily. They looked at each other, smiling, and then he looked over to me. He slowly turned to me and gave me a hug.

"I knew you were alive in there," I said. "Sorry it took so long. Was almost too late."

"But you weren't," he replied, his voice weakened, "That's all that matters."

"Can either of you get up?" I asked.

"I don't know," he said. "Red, can you?"

"No," she said as, "I can barely keep myself sitting upright."

"Here, Red," Silverbolt said as he lifted Red from the ground.

"Woah, hey!" she protested.

"We have to leave quickly," he said and started walking away, "If we are to get to Piccolo's before sunrise."

"Before we go anywhere," Grammi said as she walked up to Boober with some thick sticks and bandages, "That wing needs to be fixed up. If it's not in the right place before sunrise, it'll stay bent up forever, and I know you don't want that to happen."

"No, I don't," he replied.

She knelt down to the left of him and pushed him down so he was on his back.

"Now hold still, dear," she said, "And brace yourself. This is gonna hurt."

"But the pain's already duh-AAHHHH!!!" he screamed as Grammi yanked on his wing to get the bones back in alignment.

"Oh dear, this is quite a mess," she said as she started her bandaging, "I hope these sticks are strong enough to hold until sunrise. Stop your squirming, son. I'm almost done."

"Boober's never been one with much tolerance for pain," I said.

"Alright, that's as good as it's gonna get," she said and stood back up. "If I had better supplies, it would be a lot better, but I suppose it'll have to do."

Boober slowly sat up, his broken wing tightly bandaged. It seemed to be holding well enough.

"It's better than nothing," I replied and scooted around beside Boober, "Think you can stand up with some help? Cuz I sure as hell ain't carrying you."

"Heh, I think I can manage that," he chuckled and leaned on me with his arm around my shoulder.

I helped him stand up and we started walking down the tunnel with me as his crutch.

"I was more than certain we were going to die in there, Jigen," he said as we walked. "You can't imagine how horrible that was, when you lose all hope."

"Hey," I said to him, "What matters is you didn't. We don't need to dwell on it. Personally, I'd like to forget the feeling of almost losing my brother."

"Right," he said and left it at that, "Wait, is that my scarf?"

I looked down at the brown scarf I'd wrapped around my neck after I found it in the rocks. And then I looked back at him, noting that he was still missing his scarf.

"Yeah, it is," I answered with a grin and kept walking.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Meanwhile...)

(Prime Ruler Bethovich)

"The Colonel has sent me to inform you that Ashitare's been killed, Your Excellency," reported Sergeant Wedge. "His body was found just outside the mine."

"And what of the clan?" I replied.

"They've disappeared, Sir," he said, "Ashitare failed to kill any of them, and they disappeared from the scanners soon afterwards."

"I see," I said as I drank my Vodka.

"Um, Your Excellency?" he said, "Forgive my curiosity, but if I may ask, Sir, who is Ashitare?"

"Only a superior soldier created in Professor Hojo's laboratory, specifically designed to be able to hunt down and kill gargoyles. Apparently, that experiment has failed miserably."

"Experiment?" he repeated.

"Yes," I replied, "Is that all the information you have for me, Sergeant?"

"Just one more thing, Sir," he said, "The Colonel also said that someone named Bender is ready to meet with you."

I grinned when I heard that.

"Excellent," I said, "If that is all you have, you may return to your regular duties."

"Yes, Your Excellency," he saluted and then walked to the elevator.

As he stepped inside I pressed a switch on my desk. This time, as the doors began to close, there was a sudden slashing sound as several dozen razor-sharp blades sliced through the elevator in almost every direction.

"Oh, how I love doing that," I thought to myself as I began making preparations for my next meeting.


	20. Chapter 19: From Bad To Worse

Gold Demona

**Chapter XIX**

From Bad To Worse

(Boober)

(The next night...)(October 26, 2110 A.D.)

It was a long and bumpy trip. We all sat at the back of the bus with Krypto sitting in the walkway in front of us. Seemed kind of odd that he would be allowed on the bus at all, but I didn't entirely care. As long as we all could get home, that was all that mattered to me.

I sat one row up from the back, beside the open window so I could feel the air as we traveled. Red sat next to me, which was something I was very happy about. Jigen and Silverbolt sat in the back seat, and Silverbolt held onto Krypto's collar as he sat on the floor, happily wagging his tail.

The events of last night kept playing back over and over in my mind. There was so much that happened, most of which I wished to forget as soon as possible.

"Hey, Boober," Red said as she nudged my arm.

"Yes, Red?" I answered.

"What do you suppose happened to Uncle Pom?" she asked.

"Uncle Pom?" I replied and looked at her.

"Yeah," she said, "Do you think he died in that rockslide?"

"I don't know," I said, "He was down in the cavern when it happened. If the cavern didn't cave in, then he's probably fine."

"If that's the case," she replied, "Then any chance he had of ever leaving that mine is gone."

"Yeah," I replied, saddened by the thought of an old man living alone in the cavern without any hope of ever seeing anyone for the rest of his life.

I shook my head and tried to think of something else. My mind finally rested on another issue that was making me feel uncomfortable.

"Red?" I said.

"What is it, Boober?" she replied.

"There's something I need to tell you," I said.

"What?"

I was about to tell her what when a head peeked up over the seat in front of me. She was a small woman with gray eyes and short black hair.

"Oh my God," she said and ducked back down, "I can't believe our luck. Millie, look at this."

She peeked over the seat again, this time accompanied by another woman in the seat next to her, she was a taller girl with light blue eyes, long light brown hair, and an eerily cheerful smile on her face.

"Wow, Meryl! That's amazing," the other girl said in a very cheerful tone, "He's wearing a hat just like Freddie's."

"Millie, he IS Freddie," the first girl said and pointed at me.

"That's even more amazing, don't you think?" the one called Millie replied, "To think that we didn't even have to get to the city to find him."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Red blurted out, thoroughly confused.

"What a tremendous coincidence that we happened to be riding the same bus as you, Mr. Freddie," Meryl said to me, ignoring Red's outburst. "I'm Meryl Stryfe from the Bernardelli Insurance Society."

"And I'm Millie Thompson," the other girl, "It truly is a pleasure to meet you in person, Mr. Freddie."

"Uh... well," I stuttered, not quite sure how to reply.

"Boober, what's going on?" Red asked in a somewhat annoyed tone.

"Oh, his name's Boober?" Meryl replied and then blinked at me for a moment. "I'm so sorry. Sometimes we get carried away with our job. You see, we're looking for a guy named Freddie who lives in Paradigm City. We were shown a picture of him, but the quality was terrible. The only part we could get a good look at was his hat, which is identical to the one you're wearing. I'm sorry. I really thought you were him."

"Oh um, it's alright," I said, "I'm sure there are lots of people with hats like mine."

"I suppose so," Meryl replied and slowly sat back down, "Sorry again."

"But Meryl," Millie said, still looking over her seat.

"No buts, Millie," Meryl said and pulled Millie back down. "This guy's not him."

There was an awkward silence after that. I wasn't looking at Red at the moment, but I could feel the hard glare she was giving me. I looked at her and sure enough, her eyes were flaring in my direction.

"Booberrrr," she growled, straining to keep her eyes from glowing.

"Uh... Yes, Red?" I replied.

"Why did they just call you Freddie?" she asked.

"Uh-h-h, it was just mistaken identity," I said, "That's all."

"Not likely," she replied, "You're the only one I know stupid enough to wear such a stupid-looking hat. I want answers, Boober, and I want 'em now!"

"Red, please!" I begged, "I can't talk to you when you're like this."

"Why not?" she growled.

"Because you're irrational when you're like this," I said, "I can't say anything to you without you lashing out at me. I'd rather talk to you when you're not on the verge of ripping me to shreds."

"Grrrr..." she growled and looked away from me, shutting her eyes to hide the faint glowing, "Fine. I'll wait 'til we get home."

"Thank you," I said and eased back down.

"This isn't going to be an easy thing to tell her," I thought, "Maybe I just should've been honest with her to begin with."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Who?)

"Oh, where the hell am I?" my internal interface asked as I booted up to find myself looking at my torso lying on the next table. My arms and legs were nowhere to be seen, so I assumed they were on the same table my head was on.

"Hey! What the hell is going on?!" I yelled out loud as I tried to look around, but I couldn't because my head wasn't attached to anything that could turn it. "Aw!"

"Observation:" I heard a familiar mechanical voice say as a familiar robot walked up to the table my head was on, "It appears you have regained consciousness, Bender. Interesting how your functions are so similar to those of your average meatbag."

"Hehehe," I laughed, "Well, it's nice to know I've rubbed off on you, HK. But anyway, where the hell am I? Last thing I remember was walking into the building with you so I could meet the Prime Ruler."

"And thus you shall," replied a deep voice in a Russian accent as a human appeared in front of me beside HK-47.

This human was creepy. He had jet-black clean-cut hair and bright red eyes. He wore a black trenchcoat over a dark red shirt with a black tie and black suit pants. He had "evil dictator" written all over 'im. There was no doubt in my processing unit that this guy was the Prime Ruler.

"So you are the unit known as Bender," he said in his creepy Russian accent, "HK-47 has told me much about you. I'm sorry for this discomfort, but we wish to learn even more about you."

"Bite my shiny metal ass," I replied.

"This truly is an interesting piece of work you have brought us, HK-47," I heard another creepy-sounding voice say from behind my head.

"Who said that?" I asked.

Another human walked up into my line of vision. This guy was even creepier than the Prime Ruler. He was a skinny old human with thin jet-black hair tied back in a ponytail. His brow looked like it stuck out over his eyes. He wore a pair of round glasses on his nose and a white labcoat over a dark suit. If my approximation program was correct, I'd say he was the Prime Ruler's lead egghead. He stared at me with these narrowed black eyes that sent a chill through my circuits.

"This is most definitely not one of my robots," he said. "I would never stoop myself to such a poor and simple design."

"You're no supermodel yerself, Fleshwad," I replied.

"Such attitude," he said, "I've never seen such personality in a machine before. The closest I've ever witnessed to it is that of HK-47, and he HAS no personality."

"Embracement: A trait I am very thankful not to have," HK added.

"Professor Hojo," the Prime Ruler said to the creepy egghead guy. "How long do you think it would take to fully analyze this robot's programming?"

"What?!" I replied.

"That depends on whatever security systems were installed into him," the egghead answered, "It could take anywhere from a few hours to several days. At the very longest it may take me two weeks to fully analyze him."

"Hey! Wait a minute!" I protested, "My circuits are mine and mine alone! I barely let my creator touch any of it, and that's just cuz she gives me booze! And she actually knows what the hell she's doing!"

"Oh don't worry, my mechanical friend," the egghead said as he walked over to the other table and opened up my torso, "None of your programming will be deleted. On the contrary, after I have a thorough look at it, I will be adding more to your programming, an 'upgrade' if you will."

"I don't really like the sound of that," I said.

"You don't have to," he replied with a big creepy grin and connected a cable to my torso.

"We will leave you to your work, Professor," the Prime Ruler said as he and HK started walking away.

"Hey wait!" I called, "HK! Buddy! What the hell?! You're just gonna leave me here?! With this creepy human poking my hardware and looking at my software?!"

"Affirmation:" he said, "My orders were to bring you here for examination. Now that my task is completed, I no longer have any need to remain here."

"Hey, I thought we were friends, HK," I said as he walked away. "What gives?!"

"Mortification:" he retorted, "Such terminology only applies to relationships between meatbags. I always regarded you as a satisfactory means to pass the time."

"You can't really mean that," I said as I watched him leave. "HK? Buddy?"

"HK-47 is incapable of saying anything that is not the truth," the egghead said as they walked out, leaving the two of us alone. "Now that we have that established, we can move on to the matter at hand."

He hit a button on the computer that he hooked my torso to. It made some beeping noises and started showing stuff on the screen.

"Aw man," I thought, "I'm boned."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(A Few Hours Later)

(Vaala)

"You know what?" I said, "This is really sad."

"Whot ehs?" Mac asked as she sat there pondering her next move.

"The fact that Gold's sitting there watching you guys play chess," I said, "Because it's more interesting than anything that's on TV right now."

"That is sad," Gold agreed. "At least you have something to entertain yourself with."

Gold and I sat next to the table on chairs we took from the dining room as Mac sat in her chair and Markl sat on his knees on the other chair. Out of sheer boredom, she watched the two of them go through three games of chess, and Markl had won two of those three. This was their fourth game, and Markl had her running. I wasn't paying attention to much else with them because I was absorbed in a video game. My focus was primarily on the tiny screen of the Super GameThing in my hands.

I'd brought it with me from New York so I'd have something to occupy myself with, but with all the things we'd been doing here, I'd completely forgotten about it. I only remembered it when we both decided we were bored enough to consider watching Mac and Markl play chess.

"Check," Mac said. "Yoor move, lahd."

"Yup, and it's the last one," he said and moved his piece, "Checkmate."

I looked up from my game just long enough to see that it was actually a checkmate.

"That's really something," Gold said. "That you can play this game so well while keeping that illusion up."

"Aye, thaht eht ehs," Mac replied, crossing her arms. "Thaht mehks threh oot ohf foor ye've won, lahd."

"Well, it's not like it was easy," he said. "You're really good."

"Oonleh frohm years ohf playen thehs gehm," she replied.

"Do you wanna play, Gold?" Markl asked.

"No thanks," she answered, waving her talon at him, "I'd have my ass handed to me if I played either of you."

"Eht's noht a deffecult gehm, lass," Mac replied.

"I didn't say it was," she said, "I know how the game works. I'm just not very good at it. Playing either of you, I'd probably lose in like three turns."

I was going to say something when I heard a faint noise coming from outside the penthouse. Gold jumped up from her chair and ran out of the lab as fast as she could.

"I guess they're back," I said and went back to my video game.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Gold Demona)

I rushed down the hall, passing a white blur I could only assume was Krypto running in towards the lab. I ran through the door, not even bothering to swing the TV back shut as I ran across the living room.

"Welcome back!" I said as I practically tackled Jigen as he walked into the apartment.

"Oof!" he grunted as my arms clasped around him. "Hi."

"I think she missed you, Jigen," Red pointed out.

"I would say so," Silverbolt replied.

"You act like we've been gone for months, Gold," Boober said, "It's only been two nights."

"Two very long nights," I said and squeezed him tighter.

"Hmph," Jigen chuckled and put his talon on my face, "I missed you, too."

I looked up at him and he pressed his beak to my lips.

"Would you two get a room?" Red said as she walked past us and over to the couch.

We parted lips and looked each at each other. His eyes were so deep and intense under the dark shade of his hat.

"I think Red might be right for once," Jigen said. "There's a lot I wanna talk to you about."

"Okay," I said and released him from my death embrace.

"Is everyone else in the lab?" Silverbolt asked.

"Yeah," I answered as Jigen and I started walking to my room. "Krypto's probably already there."

"Yes, he couldn't wait to get inside," Silver replied as he started walking into the penthouse. "I think he's just as happy as we are to be home."

"Rough trip, huh?" I replied.

"You have no idea," Boober said as he walked over to the couch and sat next to Red.

"Did something happen?" I asked, blinking in confusion.

"Eesh," he shuddered.

"You can say that again," Red said.

"What happened?" I asked.

"I'll tell you about it in a minute," Jigen said as he pulled me towards the bedroom. "Like I said, there's a lot to talk about."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Boober)

I leaned back on the couch as Gold and Jigen disappeared into Gold's bedroom. For the first time since we left two nights ago, I was truly able to relax. It was wonderful to finally be back home. I looked around at the living room, at this place I'd learned to call my home.

"It's funny, isn't it, Red?" I said, "How we've taken all of this for granted."

"Yeah," she said, "That we actually have a place like this where we can be safe."

There was a long moment after that. I wanted to tell her everything I was going to tell her on the bus, but I couldn't bring myself to say anything about it. I looked to Red, who seemed to be staring at the TV screen, which was currently turned off. She sat with her elbows on her knees and her talons held together.

"I wonder what she's thinking about," I wondered in thought, "Why isn't she saying anything?"

"Red?" I said.

"What?" she replied.

"I..." I started to say, thinking I had something to say, but then I asked instead, "Are you mad about something?"

"No," she said.

"Then what's wrong?" I asked.

"Boober," she said and paused for a second, "We almost died last night. I honestly didn't think we were gonna make it. I still haven't gotten over that."

"Neither have I, to be honest," I replied, "I don't think this is something we'll be able to just shake off."

"Heh, no kidding," she groaned.

"Listen," I said, "Tomorrow night, why don't we go do something?"

"Like what?" she asked.

I thought about it, and then an idea struck me.

"The Upendi Nightclub," I said, "Let's go there."

"The nightclub?" she repeated, "But you hate drinking, and you hate crowded places."

"That's true, but I've been there before," I said, "And it's a decent place. We can bring everyone with us if we want. Spend some time with the clan we almost lost."

She looked down at the floor for a moment, I guess to think. After a few seconds, she smiled and looked up at me.

"Okay," she said, "It's a date. We'll bring everyone we can."

I smiled back at her, almost laughing at her choice of words.

"A date, huh?" I said.

She replied by shrugging her shoulders.

"Well, it's as close to a date as we've ever gotten," she said.

"Heh," I chuckled, "I guess you're right."

We both broke into a soft laughter. It felt good to laugh without the torment of certain death looming over us. If there was one good thing about everything that happened, it was that it helped me to better appreciate everything I had, especially the lifelong friendship I've had with Red. Although I would've also liked to have her love, our friendship was now so much deeper than it was before. And that alone was enough to make me happy.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Jigen)

"Oh my God," Gold replied as I finished telling her what'd happened to Red and Boober.

She sat at the edge of her bed while I stood leaning on the dresser in front of her.

"Are they alright?" she asked, "I mean, of course, they're alright. They're alive and not hurt. But I mean are they emotionally alright?"

"They seem fine," I said. "I think they need some time to themselves, though. I know I've had my share of near-death experiences, and they're not easy to recover from if you're not used to 'em."

"And what about that Ashitare monster?" she asked. "What do you suppose he was?"

"He wasn't human, that much I know," I said. "I really missed my gun then. He fought like an animal, and it took a bullet wound to the heart to bring him down. Good thing they had that kind of weaponry with them, or we would've been screwed. He looked like he could take on the whole clan in a hand to claw fight."

I looked at her for a moment. She was staring off into space.

"You alright?" I asked.

"Yeah," she said, "I'm just trying to process it all. All this happened last night?"

"Yeah," I replied. "And that's not even everything I have to tell you."

She looked up at me with a confused look on her face.

"What else happened?" she asked.

"After we took Ashitare down," I said, "I got a close look at him. There was a weird mark at the base of his back."

Her brow stiffened when I said that. I think she knew what I was gonna say next.

"It was freakin' identical to the one on you," I finished.

Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped.

"He had the same tattoo as me?" she said. "Are you sure it wasn't just similar?"

"No, it was exactly the same," I said. "Down to the symbols."

She didn't say anything after that. She turned her gaze away from me and started staring into space again.

"What does this mean?" she said, although her voice was cracking. "If he had the same mark on his back, then he probably came from the same place I did. Does that mean I could be some kind of monster?"

"Hey," I said and knelt down in front of her. "I've met a lot of females that could easily be described as monsters, and you're not one of 'em."

"But then what AM I?" she asked. "My origins are so enigmatic, even Mac's having trouble figuring them out, and she's a genius."

I put my talon on her face and gave her a quick kiss.

"She'll figure it out," I said, "If anyone can do it, she can. We may not know what you are yet, but a monster is one thing you definitely aren't."

She smiled at me. It was a sad smile. She leaned her head down on mine, knocking my hat off my head. She put her talon on my face, running her claws through my beard.

"I love you," she said.

"I love you too," I replied.

She grabbed my necktie and used it to pull me closer to her. I grabbed her upper arms as we engaged in some serious kissing.

"Oh, I want her," I thought, "I want her so bad, it's scary. This feeling, this rush, this sudden loss of control. I never thought I'd find myself feeling like this for anyone."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Bender)

"Hmm..." I said as the egghead known as Hojo browsed through my programming. "I think there was something I was supposed to do if I ever found myself in a situation like this, but for the life of me I can't remember what the hell it is. Some kind of security protocol I think. What was it?"

"Would you please stop your incessant babbling?" Hojo groaned at me.

He was getting frustrated cuz he kept running into the anti-hacker security protocols that Mac installed into my system. I started to relax when he started having trouble, and eventually I started getting bored.

"Well whaddaya WANT me to do?" I replied, "My head's all the way over here not attached to anything that can move, and my body's immobilized. If my legs were still attached, I would've used 'em to kick yer nuts."

"Which is why I detached them in the first place," he said, "Although it amazes me that your head can still function when all of your programming is in your torso. I assume it has something to do with that antenna on your head."

"Wireless connection, baby," I bragged. "Wait. You're not supposed to know that. Damn it!"

"You truly are an incompetent, aren't you?" he said.

"Well, I wouldn't go THAT far," I said, "I DID manage to download some data from your gargoyle scanning computer when we engaged in sexual interface. Of course, a small piece of my Lazy-Ass programming got transferred to her, but that's the way these things work."

He raised a creepy black eyebrow at me.

"So it was YOU who caused the computer to malfunction," he said.

"Oops," I replied, realizing my screw-up. "Maybe I should shut up now."

"Oh, why stop now?" he asked, "This conversation was finally beginning to interest me."

"Screw you, Meatbag!" I said.

"Oh no, my friend," he said as he held up a screwdriver, "Screw you."

"That has to be the crappiest pun I've ever seen," I said, "Haha, screwdriver. Never figured an evil egghead like you would have a sense of humor, and one that completely sucks for that matter."

He looked up at me and gave me a creepy grin.

"There is plenty in this world that I find humorous," he said, "For example, your feeble attempt at making yourself look as if you had any power over your present situation. I find that quite amusing. True, these security protocols are frustrating, but I will eventually break through them. And when I do all of your knowledge will be at my disposal."

That's when something suddenly popped up in the back of my internal interface.

"Hey, now I remember," I said. "I DO have a special program for just these kinds of situations. And I think you're just about--"

I was about to finish my sentence when he scanned over the part of my programming that activated said security protocol.

"Initializing emergency memory wipe program," I said as I completely lost control of my functions. "Formatting secondary harddrive."

"What?!" Hojo replied, "A memory wipe program? I was not expecting that. I have to stop it. I've not retrieved any significant information."

"Sixty percent completed," I said as all my memories of Mac's mission disappeared from my harddrive. Everything I knew about the Crimson Pig Express and the Rescuers Railway were simply wiped away.

"I can't stop it," Hojo said, "Damn."

"Formatting complete," I said, "Rebooting primary operating system."

I could feel my system shut down for a second and then boot back up.

"Woah!" I said as I booted back up. "That's a rush."

I looked at the computer that my torso was connected to. I remembered there was a reason for it, but I couldn't remember what that reason was.

"Hey, Egghead," I called over to Hojo, "What are you scanning my programming for again? I can't remember for the life of me."

He only glared at me, gazing over the top of his glasses, eyebrow raised.

"What?" I asked.

He groaned and walked over to the computer console. The screen showed everything that was on my primary hard drive, which really wasn't a lot.

"The full operating system," he said as he looked at the stuff in my hard drive. "Detailed specs, serial numbers, records of the date you were built."

"Hey, that's my personal private data," I protested, "How would you like it if I snuck around looking at your birth records?"

"You are a machine," he said, "A piece of property. It is not your concern whether or not I see fit to look at the data you carry. There may yet be information in here that can be of use to us. You would do well not to argue with me."

"Or you'll what, Egghead?" I replied.

He looked at me again with that wide creepy grin.

"Again you forget the position you are in," he said and chuckled, "You don't seem to realize that I am the one in control here."

"Yeah right," I laughed, "This is coming from the guy who activated my emergency memory wipe program and couldn't do shit about it."

"That may be true," he said, "However, you still contain a small portion of information. If you didn't, you would not be operating. Seeing as this is data that is vital to your basic functions, there will not be any more memory wipes. I will simply scan what is left of everything you knew to see if we can use any of it."

"And what'll happen to me once you're done?" I asked.

"You will be dismantled and thrown out with the rubbish."

"WHAT?!" I yelled, "Dismantled?! What the hell did I do to deserve that?!"

"You are an inferior machine not worthy of my time," he said, "Once I have finished reading your files, you will be discarded."

"But I don't wanna be dismantled," I whined, "I've got too much to live for. Things to do, places to go, femme-machines to interface with, booze to drink. Come on! Are you really gonna deny a young robot his chance at life?"

He busted into some loud maniacal laughter for a minute.

"Oh, this is rich," he chuckled, "Your personality operating system was very well-tweaked. I will give you that. Normally, a robot personality is made only enough to be able to interface with people. However, yours goes quite a bit deeper than that. You're actually begging for your nonexistent life. Quite entertaining. If I had any interest in giving my machines personalities, I would keep you for further studies. However, the sad fact is that this is something completely unnecessary for a soulless machine to have. Whoever built you was a sentimental fool."

"She's also a frickin' drunk with a lousy temper," I added. "She built me while drunk."

"This explains much," he said and turned his attention to the screen. "I thought so."

"What?" I asked, "You thought what?"

"You at least have enough information to identify your creator," he said, "You were built by a Mac Hen, Professor at the University of Glasgow."

"Yeah, Mac's my mommy," I said.

"A gargoyle from Scotland," he said, "Currently living somewhere in Paradigm City. No exact address. Now there is no doubt that you were sent here as a spy."

"Hey, um, listen," I said, "My memory's wiped clean of anything she was up to, so there's really no need to get rid of me. If the booze is good, I'll stick with you guys for a while."

"You truly are a piece of work," he said and grinned that creepy grin, "But I am through toying with you. The time has come for us to end this."

My circuits shivered when he said that, cuz I knew what was coming. He unplugged me from his computer and started unscrewing things in my torso.

"Heh-heh-hey, wait! Come on, " I pleaded, chuckling nervously, "This really isn't necessary. I'm sure we can work this out."

"This was an interesting experience, Bender," he said. "Good-bye."

I could only watch as he pulled one of my power cells out, and then everything slowly went dark.

"Well you can just bite mmy shiinnyy meeettttaaallll aaaaaaaaaasssssssss..."

System shut down. All functions terminated.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Boober)

I ran into the nightclub and straight to the bar. I leaned over the counter, panting to catch my breath.

"Freddie," Rafiki greeted, wiping a beer mug clean, "You do not work until Tuesday. What brings you here tonight?"

"I have..." I panted, "A favor to ask, and I don't have a lot of time."

He smiled at me and waved his hand over my wrist.

"You have all deh time in deh world, Freddie," he said. "What can I do for you?"

"Can you open a spot for me in the program tomorrow?" I asked. "Just one song. That's all I need."

"Certainly, Freddie, but what is deh occasion?" he asked, but then smiled again, "Are you finally telling dat lady of yours what you are doing?"

"I..." I replied as my face turned red, "Yes. Actually I'm showing everyone. I hide enough from the rest of the world. I shouldn't have to hide from my own family. All of them are going to see what I do here."

"Dat's wonderful, Freddie," he said, "I will open a spot for you."

"Thank you, Rafiki," I said. "Thank you so much."

"You can t'ank me by singing your very best for your family," he said, "By deh way, dher was a pair of women heah to see you tonight."

"A pair of women?" I repeated.

"Yes, dey were from insurance company," he said, "I told dem dat you were not here tonight, so dey left."

"Oh them," I said, "I met them earlier tonight. They said they were looking for Freddie, but they didn't figure out that I was him."

"Heh, well den dey will surely be surprised when dey come see you on Tuesday," he chuckled, "Because dat's when dey will be back."

"Thanks for the warning," I said as I turned to leave, "I should head back before anyone finds me missing."

"I'll see you tomorrow, Freddie," he said and waved.

"See you tomorrow," I said and walked out.

"Finally," I thought as I started my walk home, "After tomorrow night, there'll be no more secrets between us."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Prime Ruler Bethovich)

"You called for me, Sir?" My covert assassin said as she stepped into my office.

"Yes, my dear," I replied and turned to her. "I have a mission for you. A mission only suited for one such as you. Will you accept it?"

"Of course, Sir," she said, "What am I to do?"

"You are to go to Paradigm City," I said, "I was just informed that the one who built our robotic spy is currently living in that area. We have reason to believe that she is the reason why our survivors keep disappearing. I need you to go there and find her, and when you do, I need you to stay with her and learn everything you can about what she is doing. While you are there, you will check in periodically with every detail you find. When you have extracted all of the information we need, you will kill her and everyone with her. Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal, Your Excellency," she said with a bow, "I shall begin my journey with the next sunset."

"Excellent," I replied, "You are dismissed."

"Thank you, Sir," she bowed and left my office.

When she was gone, I turned to the window to gaze down over my city.

"Now it is our turn to play the game of espionage," I said as I drank my vodka and smiled. "Only this time it is I who will emerge as the absolute victor."


	21. Chapter 20: A Night For Friends

Gold Demona

**Chapter XX**

A Night For Friends

(Gold Demona)

(The next night...)(October 27, 2110 A.D.)

I took a nice long sip of my margarita. It was good stuff. After a long day at work, it felt nice to sit back with an icy cold drink.

"Now I remember why I like these so much," I said as I put my glass down.

"Yeah, but don't forget what happened last time," Vaala pointed out.

"Don't worry," I replied, "I won't drink myself senseless this time."

"Yeah, she's got Jigen with her now," Red said with a mocking tone, "She doesn't have any of that stupid depression to drink away."

"Oh shut up," I said and sipped again.

We sat at one of the larger tables in the club. Jigen and I sat next to each other, him with a large frosty mug of beer and me with my margarita. Red sat to my left, and Vaala sat to my right. We somehow managed to get Mac to come along with us as well, and she sat at the other side of the table closer to Vaala, drinking from a rather large glass of scotch with ice in it. She said she wanted to get her mind off things for a little bit. Silverbolt decided to stay with Markl and Krypto in the lab to make sure nothing blew up while we were gone. Boober was nowhere to be found.

"If there's anyone here we should worry about overdrinking, it's Mac," I said and pointed to her glass of scotch, "That's her second glass right there."

"Ah ken hahndle a few drenks, lass," she replied and took another drink, "Ah've been drenken scotch even bifoor Jigen wos hahtched, so ye bist beh warryin aboot yersilf."

"At least the drinks here don't suck," Jigen pointed out and lifted his mug. "This beer's pretty good."

"Aye, thes scotch esn't so bahd, eithar. Althoo mine es far bettar."

"Where do you get yours anyway?" Vaala asked.

"Ah brew eht m'silf," she answered, "Right ehn ma lahb."

"You brew your own scotch?" Jigen chuckled.

"Aye, lad," she answered with a nod and took another drink. "Tha cahbinet Ah kep eht ehn es also whot brews eht."

"So that's why it's never empty," I said. "I always wondered about that."

"Hey, where the hell is Boober?" Red asked, "He said he'd meet us here, but I don't see 'im anywhere. And he left the apartment BEFORE us."

"Relax, Red," Vaala said, "He'll be here. Maybe he went to get something."

"Yeah right," she replied, "He's up to something. I just know it."

"Well, since he has all of us coming here," I said, "Maybe it's something good."

"It better be," she said, "Cuz I'm getting really sick of trying to guess what he's doing."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Boober)

"I'm not so sure I can do this now," I said as I tried to adjust my tie. "I feel like I'm going to pass out."

I was in the dressing room with Belldandy, mostly ready for the stage. I had my cloaker off to save on energy. She was helping me look my best for when I would go up to perform in front of everyone, especially Red.

"Boober, you'll be fine," Belldandy reassured me for the fifth time as she came over to me and fixed my tie. "It's only one song. You'll be fine."

"But, Belldandy, my whole clan's out there tonight," I said, "I don't know if I'm ready for this."

"You're the one who arranged this," she reminded me, "I don't think you would have done so if you weren't ready."

"I suppose you're right," I said and sat down on the nearest chair.

"You've got the song down that you're singing tonight, right?" she asked.

"Yes," I answered.

"And you know we're all right here in case anything happens, right?"

"Yes."

Then a glass of water appeared in front of my face. I looked up at Belldandy, who was holding the glass with a big smile on her face.

"Then don't worry," she said as she handed me the glass, "They are your family. You should not be ashamed to sing in front of them. If anything, this should be the time when your performance is at its absolute best. When you show the ones you love just what you can do."

I smiled when she said that.

"You always know exactly what to say," I said and drank the water she handed me, "Thank you, Belldandy."

"That's why I'm here, Boober," she said, "Your turn's coming up. You'd better get up to the stage."

"Right," I replied as I turned my cloaker back on and walked out of the dressing room.

"Good luck, Freddie," I heard Belldandy call to me as the door slowly closed behind me.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Silverbolt)

"Tell me, Markl," I said as I moved my rook into place, "Why do you spend so much of your time here in the lab?"

"What do you mean?" he replied.

"This lab is a place of science, not sorcery," I said, "It just seems odd to me that you would want to spend so much time in a place so far from your realm of study."

"It's not just the place," he said as he moved his bishop across the board. "I like being around Mac. Master Howl always said that I have a tendency to gravitate to people I can learn things from. I know science is Mac's specialty, but I think I can learn a lot from her. Things that can help me with my magic."

"Things like what?" I asked out of curiosity as I moved one of my pawns.

"Like this," he said as he pointed his talons to the chessboard between us, reminding me of the illusion that he had placed on it. And then he moved one of his pawns.

"I see," I said as I move my queen into place. "I believe this is check, my friend."

"Yup," he replied and took my queen with his bishop, "And this is checkmate."

I pulled out my glasses to make sure it was correct, and thus it was. He had me in checkmate for the fourth consecutive time.

"Simply amazing," I said and then put my glasses away. "Either my game is rustier than I thought it was, or you simply have one surpassing your years."

"Well, you're not a bad player, either," he said, "I actually had to think about it that last time. Mac's a lot better at this, though. She gets me thinking a lot. And she actually beats me sometimes."

"It's good that your regular partner is that much closer to your level," I said with a smile and crossed my talons together, placing my elbows on the table, "Because it is apparent that I will provide no real challenge for you."

"Silverbolt," he said and then paused, "Were you ever married?"

"What?" I replied, taken aback by the sudden change of topic.

"Mac said she used to be married," he said, "But then her husband died of some disease. Did you ever have a wife or kids?"

"Heh," I chuckled, "I can honestly say, Markl, that I have not. It was my duty to care for the clan. I hadn't time to think about such things."

"But leaders can have wives, too," he said, "Master Howl had a wife. Her name was Sofie."

"Well, to each his own, I suppose," I said. "How is it you can so openly speak of your previous clan?"

"I already took my time to be sad when they died," he said, "But I know that they all watch over me from Heaven. I don't think they'd want me to always be sad for them if they went to Heaven. And besides, my magic won't get any better if I'm sad all the time."

I smiled at that.

"You are wise beyond your years, my boy," I said to him and began to put the chess set away. "Perhaps someday you could lead a clan of your own."

"You think so?" he replied and then reached for my talons, "Woah, wait!"

"What is it?" I asked and stopped what I was doing.

"Mac likes these in a particular order," he said and took the pieces from my talons, "And I'm the only one that knows how they go."

"Well, you know best," I said and let him finish the cleanup.

It was then that the computer began to make a beeping noise. My ears perked up as I rolled the chair over to it.

"Is it the scanner?" Markl asked.

"Yes, it appears so," I answered, recognizing a map of Paradigm City, "Otherwise, I don't think I would understand what was on the screen."

"There's a blip at the edge of the city," Markl pointed out.

"And it's moving," I added, "Quickly. Very quickly. If I had to guess, I'd say they were being transported... or chased."

"We have to save them," he said.

"You and Krypto stay here," I said as I rose from the chair and grabbed a cloaker from Mac's box, "I will go."

"But what about Mac and the others?" he replied.

"Leave them be," I said as I walked towards the door, "They needn't be bothered. I can handle this myself. You'll be safe here, so just stay here until I return."

"Well, be careful!" He called as I left, turning my cloaker on and bolting for the door.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Red)

"I swear if he's not here in the next ten minutes..." I mumbled to myself.

"You okay, Red?" Vaala asked.

"I'm fine," I growled. "I'm just getting really sick of all this waiting."

"He'll be here," Gold said, "He's the one who arranged all this, right? I don't think he'd get us all to come here just to leave us hanging."

"Yeah yeah yeah," I said as I leaned back on my chair and looked over to the stage.

There was a girl with blue hair up on the stage singing. I'm pretty sure it was the same girl that was up there when we were here the last time, when Gold tried to drink her depression away. If I remembered correctly, her name was Luna. She'd just finished a song and was getting applause for it. She was good. I gave her that. She bowed and then took the mike.

"Good evening, everyone," she greeted.

The crowd all greeted back.

"We have a special treat for you tonight," she said, "Tonight we have a special one-song performance by Freddie."

"Freddie?" I repeated to myself in thought as the crowd started to applaud.

"I know this isn't one of his regular nights," she continued, "But tonight he wanted to do a special performance for someone very close to him."

"This Freddie guy's a total sap," I said.

"I think it's sweet," Vaala said.

"So without any further delay," she said as she started stepping backwards to the piano at the back of the stage, "I give you Freddie."

The stage went completely dark as a figure made his way to the microphone. I turned my gaze away from it and back to my drink.

"This is ridiculous," I said and took a drink. "Where the hell is Boober?"

The piano started to play, and I could see some light slowly come on. I didn't even bother looking up from my drink to see what this Freddie guy looked like, but I did see some weird looks coming from everyone else at the table.

"What's the matter with all of you?" I asked.

"Uh, Red?" Vaala said and pointed to the stage.

"Ugh, what?!" I groaned and looked back up to the stage, and my jaw dropped when I saw who it was on the stage.

"Oh yes," Boober sang from his place on stage, "I'm the great pretender. Pretending I'm doing well. My need is such, I pretend too much. I'm lonely, but no one can tell."

"I don't believe this," I said, slowly standing up from my chair. "Is that who I think it is?"

"Is that Boober?" Vaala asked.

"It looks like him," Gold said. "But with a suit and tie."

"Thaht's an amazin' sit ohf pipes ohn thaht lad," Mac said.

"Yeah, he's really awesome," Gold agreed.

"So he finally got back his will to sing," Jigen said with a grin. "I'll bet you're real happy to see that, Red."

"He's..." I started, but then paused, "He's singing. I haven't heard him sing like that since... Since he..."

"Since he left the band?" Jigen finished for me.

"Yeah," I said.

I watched him as he sang. He looked so happy. I could tell he was singing his heart out. Every once in a while, he would turn his gaze at me, and each time his smile would grow bigger.

"Boober," I said.

"Pretending," he sang, slowing down to finish the song, "That you're still around."

With that, the piano played its last notes, and the spotlight faded away. The crowd went crazy as he stepped off the stage and out of sight. The girl from before came back to the microphone.

"Let's hear it for another beautiful performance by Freddie," she said and the crowd responded with some loud applause.

I turned back around and looked around at everyone at the table, whose eyes were all fixated on me.

"What?" I asked.

"He did that for you, Red," Gold said.

"What are you talking about?" I replied.

"He only works Tuesdays and Fridays," Vaala said, "Tonight's a Monday. He went out of his way to put a performance on, and I don't think he would've done it if you weren't here."

"And the girl before said he wanted to do a special performance for someONE," Jigen added, "It only takes one person to make a someone, and that someone is you."

"Well yeah, but..." I started, "Wait, how do you know what nights he works?"

"Er, well, um..." Vaala stuttered.

"You knew the whole time!" I yelled and got up from my chair.

"Well, not that he was singing," Gold added.

"What?! You too?!" I yelled at Gold.

"Weh ohl knew heh wos warkin here, lass," Mac said.

"Just not that he was singing," Jigen added.

"All of you knew?!" I asked, turning to each of them. "And nobody ever told me about it?!"

"He asked us not to," Vaala said.

"But why would he do that?!" I yelled, "Why?!"

"That's something you should ask Boober," Gold said, "Not us."

I sat back down after that, having run out of things to say. I was pissed. I didn't like Boober keeping secrets from me.

"Oh, he is so dead when he finally gets his ass over here," I grumbled to myself.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Silverbolt)

The sounds of hovercrafts and blaster rifles rang through the air. The closer I ran to the edge of the city, the louder these sounds grew. I continued to run, keeping my gaze to the skies above me, searching for the source of the sounds. I had just arrived at an intersection when a dark blue blur flew past above me, followed closely by two Hunters on hovercraft. The blur flew into a nearby alleyway with the Hunters in hot pursuit.

"That's them," I thought as I ran after them into the alleyway.

When I got there, the Hunters were rising to the rooftops. I took advantage of the fact that their attention was not on me as I readied my claws and latched to one of the walls. I tensed my muscles and leapt to the wall behind me. I repeated this, making my way upward. Up and up and up until I reached the rooftop. They were quickly getting away from me. I turned off my cloak as I ran behind them. They dipped over the edge of the roof, and I followed. I spread my large feathered wings and glided behind them.

I landed on the hovercraft furthest back and yanked the Hunter off of it. The other Hunter quickly noticed his missing comrade and turned his attention to me. He fired his blaster at me. I released the hovercraft just as the shot blasted into it, causing it to explode in front of me and sending me reeling backwards. When I managed to stabilize myself, more shots were fired at me. I swerved around, swooping down and up and all around to avoid the shots. After a few moments of that, I could feel my wings begin to wear out.

"I need to end this quickly," I thought.

I tried to make my way closer to him, but his shots were quick and constant. I kept having to swerve out of the way before I could get the slightest edge, and his shots were getting quicker by the minute. Just when I thought I would never make any progress, a dark blue gargoyle swooped in and knocked the Hunter off his craft, the one they had been chasing. She grabbed hold of the hovercraft and began to steer it.

"Are you alright?" she yelled to me.

"I think so," I yelled back.

"Then let's land somewhere," she yelled and brought the craft down on a nearby rooftop.

I landed a few feet away on the same rooftop. She shut down the machine and stepped off of it.

She was a tall and slender female, almost as tall as I was. The first thing I thought when I saw her was that she must have been some kind of warrior, because she wore a suit of armor that accented her female features, and helmet that covered much of her face.

She was very strange-looking. I always considered myself to be a strange-looking gargoyle for my animal-like features, and Gold always complained about how strange she looked, but this one topped the both of us. She had dark blue skin and matching dark blue hair. In addition to her regular set of claws, each talon had two very large claws protruding from ontop, and her tail ended in a set of pincer claws.

Her wings resembled a set of spider's legs. It would have looked like she had four sets of wings if they were not all connected together with wing membrane. And each of the wing structures ended in a sharp barb.

"Are you alright?" I asked.

"Of course I am," she said as she walked up to me, "I could've handled it by myself, you know."

"Two Hunters to one gargoyle," I said, "Hardly seems like a fair fight."

"So you figured you'd come and rescue the damsel in distress," she replied as she placed her talon to my face.

I raised my talon to hers and lowered it from my face. It felt too strange.

"My name is Silverbolt," I said. "Might I ask yours?"

"Blackarachnia," she said and stepped back. "We have to get somewhere safe before those Hunters come back with reinforcements."

"I know a place," I said and then pulled out the cloaker I took with me. "As a matter of fact, I can get you out of the country."

"Really?" she replied and turned back to be, "Alright, Bowser, you caught my interest."

"Bowser?" I thought.

"Take me to this..." she said as she ran her talons across the chest plate of my armor. "Safe place."

I responded by handing her the extra cloaker. She looked down at it in puzzlement and then again up to me.

"And what's this for?" she asked.

"It's to keep us hidden while we make our way home," I explained as I turned my cloaker on.

She stared at me for a long moment, narrowing her eyes at me. She circled me once, examining me, as if looking for something.

"But how does it keep you from being seen by the scanners?" she asked.

"There's a charm on it that blocks the scanners," I answered.

"I see," she said and grinned.

She placed the cloaker around her wrist and turned it on.

"Well this is interesting," she said as she looked herself over.

"You can admire the handiwork when we get home," I said as I stepped over to the edge of the roof above the alley. "Follow me."

I jumped down to the alley below, landing next to one of the dumpsters. Blackarachnia landed beside me.

"Now what?" she asked.

"Now we walk," I said.

We walked out of the alley and down the street, slowly making our way home.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Boober)

Luna was already singing another song when I walked out from the back room. I was walking over to the table everyone was sitting at when Red came up and met me halfway there. As I expected, the look on her face was not a happy one.

"If you want to hit me," I said, "I don't blame you."

"Why did you keep this from me?" she asked. "Me, of all people."

"Because this was something I had to go through on my own," I said, "I had to find my own footing."

"But why leave me out?" she asked, "Everybody else knew you were working here. I didn't even know that much."

"I can't explain it, Red," I said, "I needed some space, and I got it. That's all I can say. What matters now is that it's out in the open, and I don't have to hide anymore."

"So that's it, then?" she asked, "You're just gonna leave it at that?"

I looked over to the dance floor. There were several couples dancing to the song Luna was singing, including Gold and Jigen.

"Do you want to dance, Red?" I asked.

"What?" she blurted, "Don't change the subject on me! I asked you a question!"

"Dance with me, Red," I said and looked down to her, holding my talon up for her, "Please."

She glared at me for a moment. Then she lifted her talon and put it in mine.

"You haven't heard the end of this," she said.

"I know," I replied as we made our way to the dance floor.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Gold Demona)

"You do know that I can't dance, right?" I said as we got to the dance floor.

"No, I didn't know that," Jigen replied, "But that's okay. Neither can I."

I chuckled as we positioned ourselves and started stepping to the slow beat of the music.

"Seems easy enough," I said.

"Sure," he replied, not quite agreeing with me.

We stepped for a while, not saying anything. I looked up at him, and he looked down at me.

"Gold," he said finally.

"What?" I replied.

"Don't die on me, okay?" he said.

"What?" I replied, my brow scrunching.

"Lupin probably told you that all my relationships ended in betrayal," he said, "He was only mostly right."

"What do you mean?"

"There were a couple of times," he said, "Where the girl actually did care about me. Lupin doesn't know about them. He wasn't around for 'em."

"What happened?"

"They did something stupid and died," he said. "I don't want that to happen to you. So I don't want you going off doing anything reckless. I can only do so much to protect you, especially now that I don't have my gun anymore."

I smiled at him.

"Don't worry about me," I said, "There are lots of other people out there in a lot more danger than I am."

"I know," he said, "But they don't mean as much to me as you do."

"Jigen," I replied, having run out of things to say.

He bent down and pressed his beak to my lips. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the moment.

"He still tastes awful," I thought, "But I love it so much."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Mac)

"They look so happy together," Vaala said, obviously referring to Gold and Jigen out on the dance floor.

"Aye, they do," I agreed. "Ah, to be in love is such a grand thing. What I wouldn't give to be young and in love again."

"Heh, what do you mean 'young'?" Vaala replied, "Jigen's in his sixties."

"He's a good few decades younger than I am, lass," I said and took a drink from my scotch. "And Gold is that much younger than he is."

"Yeah, that's some age difference," she said. "She's in her twenties. But I guess it would be normal between a human and a gargoyle, since Gold ages like a human."

"Aye," I replied.

"So what made you decide to come with us, Mac?" she asked.

"I already told you," I replied, "I have things on my mind that I wanted not to think about right now."

"You wanna talk about it?" she asked.

I just shook my head and drank my scotch.

"Mac," she said, "If something's bothering you, you shouldn't have to keep it to yourself. We're a family now, right?"

"Hmph," I chuckled, "You consider me part of the family, do you?"

"Well, yeah," she said, "If it weren't for you, we wouldn't HAVE the family we got now. Gold and I would probably still be totally clueless on what we should be doing."

"That ya would," I agreed, "I won't argue that."

"Gee thanks," she replied in sarcasm, "My point is you're really important to us. I don't want you to think we don't appreciate what you've been doing."

I couldn't help but smile.

"Alexander, you clever old fool," I thought. "Now I understand why you placed me here and not at the capital."

"So what's bothering you?" She insisted.

I let out a long sigh.

"Bender's gone," I said.

"He's gone?" she repeated.

"Aye, he's gone" I replied and took another drink, "That's what I said."

"But how?"

"He did something careless and got himself caught," I explained.

"What?!" she replied, practically leaping from her chair.

"Relax," I said, "I activated his emergency security protocol before they found anything. His memory was wiped of everything involving our operation, so there was nothing for them to find."

She slowly sank back to her seat.

"The only problem is that now I'm fairly certain that the Prime Ruler knows my involvement in this," I said. "And he may send someone searching for me."

"He doesn't have our location, does he?"

"No," I answered, "Only some of my personal information, and that I'm living in this city, but not my exact location. I only left in enough information so Bender would be able to come back to me. However, I'm afraid that may have done more harm than good to us. Not long after his memory wipe, his signal disappeared completely, and the only way that could happen is if he was completely dismantled."

"Oh, Mac," she said and scooted her chair closer to mine. "It's alright."

"No, it's not," I replied and drank some more scotch, "I should have just made the program wipe his memory clean. If I was to lose him anyway, there was not a point in me leaving any information in him. Ah well. It's too late to do anything about it now. What's done is done."

"Well, we should be fairly safe if he doesn't have our exact location," she said, "He'd have to count on the scanners to find you, right? And you're not gonna show up on 'em."

"Aye," I replied, "But I can't help but worry. If we're discovered, then the entire operation goes under. Everyone involved will be killed. I, for one, do not wish to die with such a thing on my conscience."

"I see," she replied, "But you know you're not in this alone, right?"

"Aye," I replied and looked up at her, "I know that. That's why I'm worried. If it were only I, I would not mind so much. But my life is not the only one at stake. I've grown attached to the lot of you, and I'd like not to lose what I've got."

She threw a smile at me when I said that and then placed her arm on my shoulder.

"We love you too, Mac," she said and rubbed my shoulder, "We'll get through this. Just like everything else. You'll see."

I nodded and a chuckled as I looked over to the dancing couples on the floor.

"I only hope we don't end up paying too hefty a price for my mistake," I thought to myself and took another drink.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Boober)

Red calmed down a bit since we started dancing. She refused to look at me, though. I didn't blame her. She just kept her gaze below my face, somewhere around my collarbone if I had to guess. Her face was blank, no emotion at all. I guess it was a lot to take in, especially after the experience we'd just had.

"You were really good tonight," she said, finally breaking the silence. Although, I noticed a slight tinge of annoyance.

"I could've been better," I replied.

"I didn't say you were fantastic," she replied back, sounding even more annoyed.

"Are you still mad at me?" I asked.

"What do you think?" she answered.

"How long are you going to stay mad?"

"Until I feel like forgiving you," she said.

"And when will that be?" I asked.

"Look, just don't talk to me," she said. "I don't feel like talking to you right now. I'm only dancing with you because you insisted. It doesn't mean I have to talk to you."

"Fair enough," I replied.

A long and uneasy pause. I really didn't like this tension. I felt that if I didn't say something to break the ice, she would stay mad at me for the rest of the night, maybe longer. I had to say something, anything.

"I love you, Red," I said. It was the only thing I could think to say.

Finally she looked up at me, at first with a look of pure anger on her face. It slowly softened into a crooked smile. She shook her head and laughed at me.

"I know that, you dork," she said as she shoved me away.

She turned and started walking back to the table. I smiled and followed her back. Our dance was over, and so was the uneasy tension.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Silverbolt)

"So you go around rescuing stranded gargoyles and herding them out of the country?" she asked as we walked.

We still had another hour's worth of walking before arriving back at home, so we spent much of the time talking.

"I would not use the term 'herding'," I replied, "But yes."

"So, why haven't you yourself left the country?" she asked.

"I am needed here," I said. "After my clan was killed, I myself was rescued, and since then I've felt the need to do my part to help the very people who rescued me."

"Why is it so important?" she asked. "I'd just save my own skin and leave."

"There is an old gargoyle proverb that my father once said to me," I answered, "_'A gargoyle can no more stop protecting the castle than breathing the air.'_ This place is my home, my castle if you will. These people have grown to become my new clan. It seems by chance that we all ended up together, and yet somehow we also seemed fated to be together. My family and my home, both things I cherish and wish to protect. That is the reason I stay with them."

She stayed silent after that. She certainly was a strange character, and not simply because of her bizarre arachnid-like features. She had a strange air about her. Her very nature seemed to stray from what a gargoyle would normally be. This of course struck my curiosity, and thus I found myself with the desire to learn more about her.

"Tell me about yourself, Blackarachnia," I said, "Tell me about your clan."

"I don't have a clan," she said, "I live alone."

"Did you grow up alone?" I asked.

"Mostly," she said. "I grew up around humans."

"And how did you end up here in New Liberty?"

"Easy," she said. "I was hatched here in New Liberty."

"What?" I replied, her answer not making much sense to me, "But if you were hatched here, then how did you grow up around humans? Especially with the deep hatred they have for us here."

"I have my ways," she said. "You're pretty nosey. You know that?"

"I like to get to know the people who will be staying in my home," I answered. "A habit I'm afraid I can't grow out of."

"To make sure I'm trustworthy?" she asked.

"To make sure I can do my best to make you comfortable," I corrected. "It is easier to make accommodations for someone when you know a little bit about them."

"Heh," she chuckled and looked at me, "You know, you're not what I expected."

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

"I haven't decided yet," she said.

I grinned at her when she said that. She grinned a crooked grin at me and then looked away.

"Nice try, Bonebreath," she said, "But I'm not your type."

I tilted my head in confusion.

"Try with what?" I asked.

She looked back to me, and then chuckled and shook her head.

"What?" I asked, "What's so funny?"

"It's weird," she said. "You really are very different. Maybe I'll stick around and see what it is you do."

"Well, any addition to the cause is welcome," I replied, "And I'm sure we can make room for one more in the clan."

"Well, I'm not so sure about all that," she said, "I've never considered myself as belonging to any clan."

"I don't see why not," I said, "You are, after all, a gargoyle. All of us have suffered some misfortune under the unjust rule of the Prime Ruler. We must stand together if we are to succeed."

"And if you fail?" she asked.

"Then all will be lost for the gargoyles of New Liberty," I said. "But I do not believe that will happen."

"What makes you so sure?" she asked.

"I know this," I said, "Because I have faith in my clan and in our friends throughout the country. I believe we will succeed in leading every gargoyle out to the safety that lies outside the border, free from the clutches of the Prime Ruler and the Hunters who seek to kill us all."

"Geez, you're a sap!" she said, "You sound like one of those cheesy white knights in those bad romance novels with the shining armor and the big white horse out to slay the dragon and rescue the pathetic princess locked at the top of the tower."

"Do you find it offensive?" I asked. "Because if you'd rather I talk about something else, I am open to a change of topic."

"You really are a weird one, you know that?" she replied.

"My lady, I've been thinking the same about you," I replied, ending our conversation as we kept walking onward.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Gold Demona)

"We really should go out together more often," I said as we walked into the apartment.

"Yeah, I know," Vaala agreed. "Especially you, Mac. You need to get out of your lab every once in a while."

"Thaht well depind ohn tha nixt time ya ahsk," she replied as she headed straight for the TV, "Speckin' ohf tha lab, ef ye'll excuse meh, Ah'll be gettin' bahck to eht."

And with that she disappeared into the penthouse.

"Well, I think it's time to browse all the nothing that's on TV tonight," Red said as she sat down on the couch and picked up the remote.

"I'm going to get started on some laundry," Boober said as he also went to the penthouse, "It's been piling up for who knows how long."

"I'm going to bed," Vaala said and turned to her room. "Night all."

"Not a bad idea," I said and walked into my room.

I opened the door and walked inside. I was about to close the door when I noticed that Jigen had followed me in.

"Oh," I said as I almost slammed the door into his beak, "Hi."

"You say that as if I'd gone somewhere," he said with a grin.

"I'm about to get ready for bed," I said.

"I know," he replied as he stepped inside and shut the door behind him, "But I wanna stay with you. Everyone else has something to occupy themselves with. What am I gonna do?"

"Smoke?" I answered.

"With the two minutes I have left on my cloaker?" he replied and stepped closer to me, "It would take that long just to get to the roof."

"Look, Jigen," I said as I walked over to my dresser and opened the pajama drawer, "I've been up for more than twenty hours, and right now you'd have better luck talking to a zombie. I'm tired, and I need to sleep. If I wasn't awake during the da---"

I was interrupted when he came up to me, wrapped his arms around me, and kissed me. His breath was drenched with the beer he'd been drinking; so much that it almost overpowered his regular tobacco breath. I shoved him back almost immediately.

"Jigen!" I yelled, "Just how much beer did you have after we finished dancing?"

"Too much, apparently," he said as he let me go and stepped back. "I'm sorry."

He reached his talon up and lowered his hat even more than it was.

"I'll let you get to sleep," he said as he turned around to leave.

I sighed and ran up behind him.

"Jigen, wait," I said and grabbed his arm.

"I can't guarantee what I'm gonna do, Gold," he said, "And you're not exactly sober yourself. We might end up doing something we'll regret later. I think it would just be best if you went to sleep."

I stepped up in front of him and wrapped my arms around him just as he was trying to walk away.

"Stay with me," I said and then looked up at him. "Please?"

"Gold," he replied as he reached up and raised his hat back up to where it was.

He looked at me as he returned my embrace, a soft smile slowly growing across his beak. The look in his eyes and the smile on his face made me melt inside. His eyes were so soft and tender. It was like we were looking at each other's souls.

"Jigen," I replied just as he leaned down and kissed me again.

I was filled with a strange tingling feeling that grew stronger with every second we kissed. I reached up and grabbed his necktie to pull him closer. Somewhere in there, I found myself grabbing the knot of his tie with my other talon and pulling it down to loosen it. He took his hat off as I slipped the tie off from around his neck. All the while we continued kissing, even as I slipped his jacket off and he unzipped mine. As I unbuttoned his shirt and he untucked mine.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Mac)

I sat back and rocked left and right for a bit. Although the night was certainly enjoyable, it was good to be back in my chair. I looked up at the map on the screen.

"And you say the reading was in this area?" I asked, pointing to the area on the map he indicated earlier. The computer wasn't reading anything at the moment, so I could only assume they were either found or killed.

"Yeah," Markl replied, "And it was moving fast."

"Would about have to be someone on the run," I said, "Because there are no clans living in this area to my awareness. We've already found them all, I think."

"You think Silverbolt might've found whoever it was?" he asked.

"We can only hope so, lad," I replied. "Hope that he got to them in time and didn't get himself killed in the process."

"I don't think he'd do that," he said, "He's a leader. I'm pretty sure he would know how to not get killed."

"Heh, no arguing that," I chuckled.

I'd just switched the screen to something else when Krypto began to growl and bark at the door.

"Now what's gotten into him, now?" I asked.

"Krypto?" Markl called to him, "What's the matter, boy?"

His growling grew louder and his barking more frequent. Then Silverbolt walked in through the door, followed by a tall slender female gargoyle.

"Silver," I greeted and got up from my chair, trying to talk over Krypto's barking.

"Krypto, get down!" Markl yelled as he struggled to keep Krypto from leaping in Silverbolt's direction.

"What in the bloody hell's gotten into him?" I asked.

"I dunno!" Markl yelled and then pointed his claw at Krypto, "Krypto, down!"

Immediately, Krypto stopped his racket and sat down quietly.

"Agh, that's better," I said as I stood up from my chair.

"What in the world was that all about, Markl?" Silverbolt asked.

"I don't know," he answered, still pointing at Krypto, "This is only the second time he's gotten like this."

"When was the first time?" I asked as I approached Silverbolt and his new companion.

"When Jigen first got here," he answered and then began shoving Krypto out the door. "Come on, Krypto. Let's go to the statue room."

"Geez, is this how he treats ALL of your newcomers?" The lass asked. "Way to make a girl feel welcome."

"I'm terribly sorry about that," Silverbolt said. "He's usually quite friendly. He's really a very good dog."

"You call that beast a dog?" she replied, "Don't make me laugh."

"Erm, Mac, this is Blackarachnia," Silverbolt said and motioned his talon to the lass.

"Professor Mac Hen," I said and held my talon out to her. "Again, lass, many pardons for Krypto's behavior. He's normally tame as a kitten. If I had to guess, I'd say he must've smelled something on you he didn't like, because that's the most aggression I've ever seen out of him."

She looked at me for a good long moment as she shook my talon, staring at me with the most baffled look on her face.

"I'm sorry," she said finally, "The only part of that I caught was your name. Professor Mac Hen, right?"

"Aye," I answered, raising a brow in confusion.

I then thought it that for a moment, and then I broke into a fit of laughter.

"Come now! You can't be serious, lass!" I laughed and then pointed to her. "Silver, is she saying she can't understand me?"

"Excuse me?" the lass replied.

"It certainly would appear so," Silver answered to me, "Although you have to admit, Mac, that your accent is rather thick."

"Agh! You've been living with Americans for too long," I retorted as I sat back down in my chair and reached for some supplies. "Let's just get the sample so I can get started on her cloaker."

"What's she doing?" the lass asked.

"She's going to take a sample of your blood so she can make you a cloaker personalized to your genetic code," Silverbolt answered. "So that your cloak will be what you would actually look like as a human."

"She can do that?" she asked.

"Of course I can," I answered as I prepared to take the sample. "Silver, if you please? You know the procedure."

"Give her your talon, Blackarachnia," Silverbolt said to her.

"Sure," she replied and did such.

I pricked her claw, took the sample and set it in the machine to make her cloaker.

"Now it'll only be a minute or two," Silverbolt explain, "And you'll have your own cloaker."

"You do this with everyone?" she asked.

"Everyone who comes here," Silverbolt answered.

"She's a strange one," I thought to myself, "Perhaps it's best that she can't understand me."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Later, Just Before Sunrise...)

(Prime Ruler Bethovich)

"Receiving transmission," my computer announced to me.

I pressed the button on my desk to pick up the communication.

"I can assume that you found our elusive Professor?" I asked, already knowing who the transmission was from.

"Yes sir," she answered. "I found her."

"Excellent," I replied, "You will stay with her and learn all you can."

"There's just one problem, sir," she said.

"And what is that?" I asked.

"Her accent's so thick, I can't understand a word she says," she answered. "I barely caught her name."

"Is anyone else living with her?" I asked.

"She's got a whole clan living with her," she said. "But they're from all different clans. I'd say these are some of the missing survivors from some of the clans we already got."

"I see," I replied, "Excellent. Remain there and learn all you can from them. Even if you cannot speak to the Professor directly, the others will surely have valuable information. That will be all, Blackarachnia. I expect to hear more in the following transmissions."

"You will, Your Excellency," she replied, "You can count on it."

"Yes, I know," I said. "Good night."

"Good night, sir."

"Now begins the fun part," I thought as the transmission was switched off. "I will learn all of your secrets, my Scottish friend. Now it is only a matter of time."


	22. Chapter 21: A Look Back

Gold Demona

**Chapter XXI**

A Look Back

(Gold Demona)

(The next day...)(October 28, 2110 A.D.)

I woke up feeling really uncomfortable. I tried to lift myself up so I could change position, but I immediately found myself unable to do so.

"Oh no," I said as I quickly discovered the source of my discomfort. "Oh no no no. Oh God, no!"

Then I heard a knock on the door.

"Hey, Gold!" I heard Vaala yell from the other side of the door. "I'm making us breakfast, so rise and shine!"

"I can't!" I yelled back.

"Whaddaya mean, you can't?" she replied.

"I can't move!" I answered.

"You both passed out with your arms around each other, didn't you?" she asked.

"Yes..." I groaned. "Among other things."

"And you stayed that way through sunrise, didn't you?" she asked.

"Yes..." I groaned.

I could hear her busting up laughing after that, accompanied with some banging. If I had to guess, I'd say she was banging on the kitchen counter as she laughed. This went on for a couple of minutes. Meanwhile, a faint cramped feeling started welling up in all the places I was being squeezed, and this feeling was slowly growing with every passing minute.

"Oh geez, Gold," she said after her laughter finally started dying down. "I'd go in there and laugh at your misfortune some more, but if the noise I was hearing last night was any indication of what you two were doing, I'd say you're both still naked right now."

"Yes..." I groaned.

"That's pathetic, Gold," she said. "I mean REALLY pathetic."

"Yeah, thanks a lot for your support," I retorted, "Ugh, this is extremely uncomfortable."

"You can't wiggle your way free?" she asked.

"I tried, but it's no use," I answered, "We're so intertwined together I'd have to break something to get anything loose."

"Well, then I guess you're spending the day with Jigen," she said. "I'm gonna go make breakfast."

"Vaala, wait!" I yelled, "I can't stay like this the whole day! What am I gonna do?"

"I'm sorry, Gold," she said, "But you got yourself into that mess, so you're gonna have to endure it until sunset. I have to go to work today so we can still afford to feed everybody. Be glad you have today off, cuz I don't think they'd let you call in 'trapped in your own bed by a statue'."

"You're real funny," I retorted, "A regular riot. Hear me laughing? It's hilarious."

"Sorry, Gold," she said, "I'm gonna go check on everyone else before I go, alright?"

"Alright," I groaned and looked up at the stone-gray face of the male that was keeping me hostage.

"This is gonna be a long day," I thought as I tried my best to get comfortable.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Vaala)

"Poor Gold," I said to myself as I stepped into the penthouse. "Well, I know where Jigen is. Let's see how everyone else is doing."

I stepped into the lab for a second. Mac sat frozen at her computer. It amazed me that her chair was able to hold that kind of weight. Markl and Krypto stood beside her. I smiled looking at this.

"Those two have gotten really close in the past few weeks," I thought as I stepped back out and shut the door, "If this were any other country, she'd probably adopt him."

I walked over to the statue room, looking at the statues around the room. Red and Boober arguing about something by the washtub. Silverbolt standing at the other side of the room. I noticed standing next to him was somebody extra.

"And who's this?" I asked to myself as I walked up to this strange new gargoyle.

She was a tall female with big claws on her talons and wings that looked like spider legs.

"Where did you come from, I wonder?" I said to the statue, examining her some more. "Well, I guess I'll have to wait 'till tonight. I have to get to work."

I walked back out of the penthouse, locking the door behind me. I gave one last knock to Gold's bedroom door.

"I'll see you tonight, Gold," I called.

"'Kay..." She groaned.

"Do you want anything?" I asked, starting to actually feel bad about her predicament.

"Other than to be out of this deathgrip from hell?" she replied, "No."

"Well, I can't help you with that," I said, "So I guess I'll see you tonight."

"Right..." she groaned.

"I'll see you later."

"Bye..."

I stepped over to the front door and paused a moment.

"I really don't wanna just leave her there," I said as I looked back to Gold's room, "But what can I do?"

I stepped into the elevator and made my way downward, letting my mind wander as I always did on my way to work.

"I'm not really much help to anybody, am I?" I thought to myself. "I could've just stayed in New York and let Grandpa Alex handle the whole thing. The only useful thing I've done here so far is make ends meet, and even then I've got help. So what am I really doing here? I'm sure Grandpa Alex meant more for me here than just bringing home a paycheck."

I took a deep breath and sighed as I reached the bottom floor. I stepped out to the streets and started on my way to work, my mind continuing to wander.

"Thing are very different from what they used to be," I thought as I walked.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Mid-Autumn, 2095 A.D.)

"And it is proven again tonight that even the richest of families are not immune to tragedy," The lady on the TV said. "Heir of Xanatos Enterprises, Michael Xanatos and his wife, Julia, were killed when their private helicopter crashed into the Hudson River this afternoon. The helicopter apparently malfunctioned and spun out of control before crashing into the river below. An explosion followed shortly after the crash, leaving little to no hope of their survival."

I was lying on my bed with my face in one of my pillows. I hadn't stopped crying since the news was said to me earlier that night. More than half the clan was in the room with me, trying to comfort me. Some of them were watching the news story on the TV, while other sat on the bed around me. One of the elders of the clan, a small bald yellowish green gargoyle no bigger than me, sat beside me, rubbing his talon on my shoulder.

"Mr. And Mrs. Xanatos were the only ones in the helicopter when it crashed," the lady on the TV continued, "Leaving authorities to suspect foul play, but no such evidence has turned up from the wreckage as of yet. They leave behind ten-year-old Vaala Xanatos, now the sole heiress of the multi-billion-dollar corporation that is currently owned by the child's grandfather, Mr. Alexander Fox Xanatos, who has taken up the responsibility of being young Vaala's legal guardian. Gargoyles are gathering from all over Manhattan to mourn this loss."

"Please turn that off," I sobbed.

I heard the TV click off as the gargoyles in the room gathered closer.

"We're all here for you, Vaala," Said the small elder gargoyle rubbing my shoulder. The others all murmured in agreement.

Lexington was the oldest member of the clan, as well as the last surviving member of the original clan that settled in Manhattan. He wasn't the leader of the clan, but he was definitely one of the smartest. All my life whenever he was charged with taking care of me, he'd always go around teaching me things. How computers work, how motorcycles are put together, how to kick butt in a video game. I didn't always get everything he was trying to teach me, but I always had fun having him there. He was always one of my closest and dearest friends.

"Uncle Lex," I said to him, "Where's Grandpa?"

"He's on his way up right now," he said.

"Sorry I'm late," A familiar voice said from the door.

The one speaking was a man of average height and medium build. He had a goatee on his face and a tattoo in the shape of a fox head over his right eye. I jumped up from my bed and ran over to him, practically plowing into him.

"Grandpa Alex!" I bawled as I planted my face in his shirt.

"There now, Vaala," he said as he hugged me and turned his head to the man behind him, "Owen, can you do me a favor and go make sure everyone else is okay?"

"Certainly, Sir," the monotone blonde man replied and left the room.

Grandpa then turned to the gargoyles in the room.

"Uncle Lex," he said to the small green elder.

"Alex?" he replied.

"I'm sorry to ask this of you, old friend," Grandpa said, "But can you excuse us for a few moments?"

"Sure," he replied and nodded as everyone made their way out of the room, leaving Grandpa Alex and me alone in the room.

Grandpa then sat down on my bed and set me on his lap. He hugged me as I cried on his shoulder.

"Why, Grandpa?" I sobbed, "Why did this happen?"

"I don't know, Sweetheart," he said, "Sometimes things like this just happen."

"Wasn't there anything you could do?" I asked, "Couldn't you save them? Or Owen?"

"I can do lots of things, Vaala," he said, "But I'm still mostly human. If I could've seen this coming, you know I would've done everything in my power to prevent any of it from happening. And you know very well the kind of limits Owen has."

I sniffed for a moment, because I knew he was right. I was trying not to scream as the ache in my chest and the knot in my throat kept getting stronger and stronger. I couldn't stand it.

"Mommy," I cried as more tears flowed down my face, "Daddy."

"Vaala, I know it hurts," he said softly, "And this hurt's not going to go away any time soon. But remember that you're not alone in this. You still have me, Owen, Uncle Lex, and the rest of the clan. They're all hurting, too. So we all have to be there for each other."

"I miss them, Grandpa," I sobbed.

"So do I, Vaala," he said, "Believe me, I didn't want my only son to die before his father did, but it's times like this when we have to be our strongest. You are the heiress to the Xanatos fortune now. Someday you will have to take charge and lead the company."

"But I don't wanna lead the company," I sobbed, "I just wanna have a home with my clan where we'd always be together and happy. Like we are here. Like we were with Mommy and Daddy."

He didn't say anything for a while. He just hugged me tighter as I continued crying on his shoulder.

"Then that's what you'll have," he said, "When you grow up, you'll have a home and a clan, and you will all be happy."

"Promise?" I sniffed.

"I promise," he said.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Afternoon)(October 28, 2110 A.D.)

"Dammit," I thought to myself as I took a sip from my drink. "That definitely wasn't something I wanted to remember right now."

I was on my lunch break and had gone to Bueno Nacho. I had just finished eating, my trash all collected on the tray in front of me. I looked out the window at the people passing by. Knowing the kind of people that made up most of the crowd made me mad.

"Idiots," I thought, "The lot of 'em. It's because of people like them that we have to live the way we do. It makes me sick."

I picked up my tray and got up from my seat. As I walked over to the trashcan and dumped my garbage, I noticed the blonde freckle-faced teenaged clerk at the counter. Normally, he was a really happy guy, always smiling, laughing, and trying his best to look cool. But today he seemed a lot less energetic, almost bored. It was a Tuesday, so I guessed it was from lack of things to do.

"Have a bueno day," he called to me, almost droning as he limply waved to me.

"Thanks," I replied as I left.

"Looks like everybody's having a bad day today," I thought as I started my way back to work.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(February, 2110 A.D.)

"THEY'RE DOING WHAT?!!" I yelled, not quite sure I heard him right.

"They're killing gargoyles," Grandpa Alex repeated, "Just for being gargoyles."

"But that's just retarded!" I yelled, "That shouldn't even be allowed! Why hasn't the U.N. done anything?!"

"Because they don't know anything about it," he answered.

"Prime Ruler Bethovich has done a good job keeping all of his actions from being seen by the rest of the world," Said a strong-looking red female gargoyle with horns slanted backwards and long white hair. Albany was the current leader of the Manhattan clan. "Aside from the people of New Liberty, we in this room are the only ones who know about it."

"Got some informants on the inside?" I asked.

"Yes," Grandpa said, "But just knowing about it won't be enough."

"It sure as hell won't," I replied and got up from my chair, "We have to do something about this!"

"I knew you would say that," Grandpa said and smiled at me, "That's why I want to send you over to New Liberty."

"What? Send me?" I replied, "To do what?"

"To rescue any gargoyles you find and to try to get them to safety," Albany answered.

"But I can't do this by myself," I pointed out.

"You'll have help," Grandpa replied, "I have friends from all around the world that are more than willing to help us."

"Alright," I said, "So when will I be going?"

"The end of next month," he said, "That should be more than enough time for you to prepare yourself for the move."

"And what about you, Grandpa?" I asked. "What will you be doing?"

"I have to stay and keep appearances," he said. "Make sure the press doesn't catch wind of what we're doing."

"So who else is gonna be there helping me?" I asked.

"You'll meet them soon enough," he answered as he got up from his chair and started walking out of the room. "For now just worry about preparing for your trip."

"Where are you going?" I asked.

"I have an appointment with a friend in California," he said, "I'll be back by the end of the week. Meeting adjourned."

"Grandpa, wait!" I called, stopping him just as he reached the door.

"Yes, Vaala?" he replied, "You're not going to say 'no' are you?"

"No, that's not it," I replied, "I'm more than happy to go if it means I can help, but what about the clan here?"

"You don't have to worry about us, Vaala," Albany replied, "This country isn't the one killing gargoyles. The only gargoyles you need to be worrying about are the ones stuck in New Liberty."

"Right," I agreed and nodded.

"Is that all?" Grandpa asked, "I need to catch my flight."

"Yeah," I said, "That's all, Grandpa."

He smiled as he turned to me and opened his arms.

"Then why don't you give your grandpa a hug before he goes, huh?" he said.

I smiled back, and I walked over and hugged him.

"I love you, Grandpa," I said.

"I love you too, Honey," he said, "Don't worry. You'll do fine. I know you will."

"Will I get a roommate?" I asked out of curiosity, "It'll be kinda boring if I have to live by myself."

"Oh, you can trust me on this," he said, "You won't be by yourself."

"Promise?" I asked.

"I promise," he said.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(March 30, 2110 A.D.)

I wandered around my two thousand square foot bedroom, looking to see if there was anything I still needed to pack. Of course I knew there wasn't anything else, but I also knew that this would be the last time I'd see my bedroom until my mission was completed.

"You just about ready?" I heard Uncle Lex say from behind me.

"Yeah, Uncle Lex," I replied, "Just about. Though I wouldn't mind taking my room with me. I'll miss my nice big bed and all the floor space to run around in."

"If you're still planning to live by an alias, your whole living space will be the size of this room."

"Well, that's what everyone not living with me will think. Remember, I'm gonna build a hidden base in there."

"Of course, to hide any gargoyles you find."

"And I will go by Marsaille instead of Xanatos so it's not so obvious what I'm doing there."

"And of course, your little make-over will help things a lot. It was a good idea to cut your hair and dye it brown."

"Yeah," I replied, "Cuz if they're looking for Vaala Xanatos, they'd be looking for long red hair. And I'll be taking extra hair dye for when it starts growing back out."

"Well of course, but listen, only take with you what you need to live."

"Already done. Clothes, some sheets, hygiene products…"

"And what else?"

"And video games!" I grinned, holding up the Super GameThing I carried in my pocket.

"That's my girl," he grinned back, giving me a thumbs-up.

He then walked up to me and we looked at each other. Lex was one of my best friends, and the one who was like an uncle to the family ever since my grandfather Alex was born. I teared up and hugged his small skinny body, realizing this may be the last time I ever see him.

"I'm gonna miss you, Uncle Lex!" I sobbed.

"I'll miss you too, Vaala," he said hugging me back. "I just know you'll somehow find a way to get those gargoyles out of New Liberty."

"I hope so," I replied as I backed up and wiped my tears with a nearby tissue.

"You ready now?" He asked.

"Yeah," I nodded, sniffing one last time and tossing the tissue away.

"Good, cuz the rest of the clan is waiting downstairs."

I grabbed my luggage and followed Uncle Lex down to the bottom floor of the castle, where at least a dozen gargoyles were waiting to send me off. The Manhattan clan had grown a lot since my great-grandfather's time. There were not only gargoyles descended from the original clan, but also gargoyles that came in from other places in the world. They all stood there with banners saying, "We'll miss you, Vaala" and "Good Luck".

I walked past all the faces I'd grown up with, the colorful variety of beaks and tusks and horns and spikes.

"We'll miss you, Vaala!" yelled a light blue girl gargoyle in the back.

"I'll miss you guys too!" I yelled back.

When I finally got to the end of the crowd, a thin blonde man was holding the elevator door open for me. He wore a black suit and a pair of thin-rimmed glasses, and his left hand was frozen as a fist of solid stone.

"Are you ready, Miss Vaala?" he asked, looking at me through his rigidly straight face.

"I wish I knew how to keep a straight face like you can, Owen," I replied.

Owen had been a dear friend to the family for generations. He was my great-grandfather David's right-hand man. He was an immortal. A fey, to be more specific, named Puck. Puck was a fun-loving fey who liked nothing more than to play tricks on everybody. After promising to stay with our family, he was bound to only show himself as Puck to teach my Grandpa Alex how to use his magic. Otherwise, he was to always be the dull and boring Owen. And I guess he wasn't done after that, because he stuck around the next generation and the next. He tried to teach me magic, but I just could get a handle of it. The last time I saw him as Puck, I was still really little.

"It would probably be the only thing I would succeed at teaching you," he replied, being the closest thing to a joke he could ever do as Owen, "Your flight awaits."

"I know. Just a second," I answered and turned to the crowd of gargoyles. "Good-bye, Everybody!"

"Bye, Vaala!" one gargoyle said.

"We love you, Vaala!" said another.

"We know you can do it!" yet another.

I waved and stepped into the elevator, and almost immediately the doors shut and the elevator shot down. Down the many floors of the building.

"You made sure nobody knows about this but us, right?" I asked Owen as I waited for the ground floor.

"Of course," he answered, "Your plan wouldn't work if the whole world knew where you were going."

"And if the journalists ask?"

"You went on a trip to visit some distant relatives in various parts of the world."

"Then everything's going perfectly."

There was a long pause after that. We still had a long way down to go.

"Do you not think it may have been faster if one of the clan glided you to the airport?"

"Yeah, but it would just be one more person to say good-bye to, and it was hard enough to leave the clan as they were."

"I see."

"Tell me, Owen. Why are you still here?"

"You know very well why."

"I know. To teach magic to great-grandma Fox's descendents, but it stopped working with me. You should've been released from this since there's no way I can learn fey magic."

"Perhaps Lord Oberon sees something that we do not. Whatever the reason, I am still bound here. And even if that were not the case, if given the choice I would still remain here."

"So even if you were free to go and be Puck again, you'd stay here with us?"

"Correct, Miss Vaala."

"Aw, that's really sweet, Owen."

Another long pause. I looked up at his never-changing, stoic face. So rigid, it almost looked like it was etched in wood. There was never any emotional expression on that man's face. The only time I'd ever seen the expression change would be if he were annoyed at something. I tiptoed over in front of him and looked him right in his straight face.

"I'll bet your really crying in there." I chuckled. "Aren't you, Puck?"

"Bawling, Miss Vaala." Owen answered in his dull and boring tone, "Like an infant. Needless to say you will be missed."

I grinned at that.

"Thanks, Owen," said and then went back to his side.

The elevator then finally stopped as we hit the first floor. We exited the building, and got in the car. I was in the back while Owen was driving.

"Everything's going according to plan," I said to the other two passengers of the car as we started going. Grandpa Alex sat directly in front of me, and Albany sat beside him.

"You haven't even left the country yet," Grandpa Alex said to me.

"Sorry Grandpa Alex," I replied, "But I'm so excited! I've never left the country before! I've never even left New York!"

"This isn't a vacation, Vaala," my grandpa said, "This is a very important mission."

"Exactly," Albany said. "We need you to keep stray gargoyles hidden and gather any information you can find."

"Yes, I know, Albany," I said to the current leader of the Manhattan clan.

"Now," Grandpa started, "What is your name?"

"Vaala Marsaille."

"And who are you looking for?" Albany asked.

"Goldie Mona," I answered.

"And why are you coming to New Liberty?" Grandpa asked.

"To be with my kindred spirits. My fellow righteous humans."

"Good," Grandpa said, "I think you're ready now."

"Remember the one you're looking for is Goldie Mona" Albany said, "She lives in the south west. In a city called Paradigm."

"Goldie Mona, Paradigm City. Got it."

"And be very careful," Grandpa leaned forward closer to me, "I've got a lot more years on me than what you can see, but only because I can't die of natural causes. I already outlive my son. I don't want to do the same with my granddaughter. Do you understand?"

"Yes, grandpa."

"And remember that you come from my blood," he continued, "From your great-grandmother Fox's blood. I don't care what Owen says. Even a little makes a difference."

"Yes, grandpa."

"And most importantly," he said, "You have to remember that you can't count on the name of Xanatos to save you. As long as you're there, you are Vaala Marsaille. Any connection to the name Xanatos is gone to you, including the money. You have to make your own living, even if it means starting at minimum wage."

"Yes, grandpa."

Then the car came to a stop. And then the door opened, revealing Owen and the airport behind him.

"I still think a private jet would've been faster," Albany said.

"But a commercial liner will be a lot less conspicuous," I replied. "I'll fly into Moscow and then take a bus into New Liberty."

Albany nodded and smiled. "Good luck."

I leaned over and gave her a hug

"Thanks," I said, "Bye, Albany."

"Well miss you," she replied.

"We're counting on you, Vaala," Grandpa said.

I let go of Albany gave my grandpa a hug.

"Bye, Grandpa," I said.

"Make me proud, Sweetie," he replied.

"I will," I said and then jumped out of the car and into the airport to catch my flight to Moscow.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Late Afternoon)(October 28, 2110 A.D.)

"And so far making our living is all I've done," I thought to myself as the elevator stopped at the top floor.

I stepped out of the elevator and into the apartment.

"Gold, I'm home," I called through her bedroom door. "You ready to kill Jigen yet?"

"Oh, you have no idea!" She yelled. "I'm hurting in places I didn't even know I had! If you ever have the chance to spend the day lying on lumps of stone, don't!"

"Heh, I'll remember that," I replied. "Aside from hurting, how are you feeling?"

"I want to diiiiiiie..." she groaned.

"Oh, no you don't," I said, "The sun'll be down in a couple of hours. Just hang on a little longer."

"Uuuggggggh..." she groaned.

I then walked into the kitchen and started cooking the meals for the night.

"Poor Jigen," I thought, "I see a rough night ahead for him."


	23. Chapter 22: Misery and Agony

Gold Demona

**Chapter XXII**

Misery And Agony

(Silverbolt)

(That night...)(October 28, 2110 A.D.)

"And up these stairs is the roof," I said to Blackarachnia as we finished the tour of the apartment. "Which we mostly use as an alternate source of privacy."

"So you have the entire top floor AND the roof?" she asked. "That's impressive."

"It's a good size for the number of people we have living here," I said as we climbed the stairs to the roof.

I opened the door outside and there was Jigen, standing at the edge, smoking a cigarette. He had his back to us as he looked over to the sea ahead.

"Good evening, Jigen," I greeted as we walked up behind him.

"Mm-hmm," he replied in a low droning tone, not moving even to look at us.

"Uh, this is Blackarachnia," I introduced. "I found her on the scanner last night."

"Hey there," she greeted.

He slowly turned his head in our general direction. His hat was tilted lower than normal, his slouch was more pronounced, talons in his pants pockets, and his lips were curled in a sneer.

"Hey," he greeted and then looked back to the sea.

"Is something wrong, Jigen?" I asked. "You look terrible."

"I always look terrible," he said as he flicked his cigarette away. "I don't wanna talk about it."

"Did something happen between you and Gold?" I asked.

"I said I don't wanna talk about it," he said as he pulled another cigarette from the breast pocket of his jacket and lit it.

"Alright," I replied as I led Blackarachnia aside to another spot on the edge of the roof so we could look at the view of the sea and the city.

The lights on the lower buildings sparkled and reflected into the water that seemed to go on forever. The moon was just above the horizon, shining brightly over the sea.

"That's some view," she said.

"Isn't it beautiful?" I asked. "I'm glad we are fortunate enough to have a place like this to call our own."

"Hmm," she replied and moved closer to me. "It's romantic. It's enough to make me actually consider sticking around for a while."

"And you would most certainly be welcome to," I replied.

"Actually, Silver," Jigen said, "There's something else I wanna talk to you about."

"What about?" I asked.

He stayed silent for a moment, staring at Blackarachnia.

"It's kind of a private matter," he said.

"Alright, I get it," she said and started walking back over to the door. "See you boys later."

And with that, she went in the door and down the stairs.

"So what is it you want to talk to me about?" I asked.

"Watch your back," he said when he was sure she was gone, "She's got 'trouble' written all over her."

"Are you sure you're not just being paranoid, Jigen?" I asked.

"Maybe I am," he said, "But I can smell trouble from miles away. Especially on females, and she stinks of the stuff. I'm just saying you should be careful around her."

"I thank you for your concern, Jigen," I replied, "But it's hardly necessary."

"Suit yourself, but don't say I didn't warn you," he said as he finished the cigarette he was smoking and pulled out another.

"Are you sure you don't want to talk about whatever it is that's troubling you?" I said, "You normally don't go through cigarettes that quickly."

"Sure I do," he said, "You just never see it."

"Did your... coition last night not go so well?" I asked, almost embarrassed of the question.

"You sure like to be nosey, don't you?" he replied, "No, last night was actually really good. It's what happened afterward that wasn't so good."

"What happened?" I asked.

"Gold spent the day stuck in my arms," he said, pulling one of his talons out from his pocket and looking at it. "Completely immobile the whole day."

"Oh," I said. "I see."

"And she blamed me for the whole thing," he continued and shoved it back into his pocket.

"Well, you are partially responsible."

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean I should get ALL the blame," he retorted. "She acts like none of it was her fault. Last night, I was more than ready to leave the room and just let her go to sleep, but she insisted that I stay with her. So I stayed."

"Wonderful," I thought to myself in sarcasm, "I got him ranting."

"Then I wake up tonight to a swift shove off the bed, and before I could say anything, she was dressed and bolting for the bathroom. I didn't even realize what'd happened until a few seconds after she was gone."

"Oh dear," I said as I winced at what I had started.

"Yeah," he continued, "So then she comes back in, and her eyes just flare up at the sight of me. Did you know that her eyes glow pink?"

"No, I didn't."

"Well, they glow pink. Normally, females glow red when they're pissed, but she glows pink, and man, was she pissed! I'd barely managed to get my pants back on when she demanded I leave the room. She didn't even use any words. She just growled at me and pointed at the door. Now, I get why she's mad at me, but I didn't deserve that!"

"No, of course not," I replied, deciding to just agree.

"Ugh," he growled and took a deep breath through his cigarette.

He blew a big cloud of smoke and stayed silent for a moment.

"Sorry about that," he said in a much calmer tone, "Now you get why I didn't wanna talk about it?"

"Yes, I see," I replied. "But at least you did your ranting with me and not with Gold. The outcome of that probably would've been ugly."

"I guess you're right," he said as he blew more smoke. "I just don't get females."

"Yes, the feminine sex is a strange creature indeed. I never truly had the chance to try to understand them."

"Be glad," he said, "They're nothing but trouble, even the ones that DON'T stab you in the back."

"I think you should apologize to her," I said.

"Even though she's partly to blame?"

"When it comes to things like this, it's best to just apologize and let things go. I don't know why they like to place all of the blame on the male, but it's something we all must live with from time to time. I never had such a relationship, but as a leader, one gets blamed for the strangest things, the blame usually coming from an angry female."

"She did suffer a lot today," he said. "Maybe when she's cooled down and can stand being near me again."

He took a deep breath and sighed, blowing a large cloud of smoke as he did.

"If it were any other female that pulled this on me, I'd be long gone right now."

"But this is Gold," I replied, "And you're still here."

"Yeah," he said with a chuckle as he flicked his cigarette away, "I'm still here."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Boober)

"Boober, you'll have to face them sooner or later," Luna said to me, "They're not gonna leave until they see you, and your clan will be worried if you're gone too long."

"I know, I know," I replied. "But I can't help it, Luna. What if they actually find out something?"

"You know that's not gonna happen," she said, "Not as long as we're here."

"I know..." I replied, taking a deep breath to try and calm myself down, "I know."

I sat in the dressing room, already dressed for the stage, as Luna tried to help me calm my restless nerves. Waiting at the bar for me were the two insurance girls Red and I met on the bus ride home from the mine. Rafiki made sure they wouldn't bother me if I went up on stage, but I knew I couldn't use that as my escape forever.

"You'll be fine, Boober," Luna said, "They work for an insurance agency, not the military. They probably want to propose some kind of insurance policy to you."

"Yes, but why me?" I asked, "They came specifically looking for me. I can't help but think that Reno might have something to do with this."

"Even if he does," Luna replied, "You know he can't do anything to you as long as we're here to protect you."

I let out a sigh and got up from the stool I sat on. It was almost time for me to take the stage, although I was still a bit nervous.

"It's just not that easy for me," I said, "Even the smallest mistake could mean disaster for everyone. I'd rather that mistake not be made, especially by me."

"Trust me, you won't make any mistakes," she said, "Just go up and work your shift. We'll be there to help you handle these insurance girls, just like we were with Reno. Don't worry."

I nodded and slowly made my way to the door.

"And Boober?" Luna called as I reached the door.

"Yes, Luna?" I replied.

She looked at me for a moment, and then smiled at me.

"Knock 'em dead, Freddie," she said. "I'll have a special drink ready for you when you're done. Non-alcoholic, of course."

I cracked a smile at that.

"Thanks, Luna," I replied and left for the stage.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Blackarachnia)

"This assignment is going to be a lot harder than I thought," I thought to myself as I walked down the street. "I was not expecting that many all in one place."

I had on that cloaker thing that Professor Hen made for me, so as far as everyone else was concerned, I was a human. I always wondered what it was like actually walking around among humans. It definitely wasn't the same as being with the Prime Ruler and the others of his council. Of course, they didn't entirely count as humans, just like I didn't entirely count as a gargoyle.

I'd just turned a corner when I noticed someone out of the corner of my eye. Someone was walking behind me. I turned around and recognized him immediately.

He was a man of average height, light brown hair, and bright red eyes. The lower half of his hair was buzz-cut, while the top half spiked upwards. He was naturally a thin guy, but he'd built up his muscles so he'd look more intimidating. He had a breathing problem, so he had a specialized mask made over his nose and mouth. The thing was part of his face, which always had me wondering how he ate or drank anything, but I never bothered to ask.

He normally wore a suit of custom-made armor with all of his heavy firearms attached. Tonight he just wore some brown camouflage pants with a black jacket and black combat boots. I suppose he was trying to blend in better with the crowd.

"Quickstrike?" I said as I stared at the man that stood behind me. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"I reckoned that was you, Sugar," he replied as he walked up to me and slowly put his hands on my arms, "Only a hell of lot more sexy. How're ya doin' it?"

"Some kind of cloaking device that they use to get around," I said as I held up my wrist for him. "It hides them from sight and scanner. It's just a hologram, so I can still sting you. Only this time, you wouldn't see it coming."

"Aw, you wouldn't do THAT to me, would ya?" he replied and let go of me. "Not when we've got somethin' this important to take care of."

"Why are you here, Quickstrike?" I asked.

"The Boss sent me here ta keep an eye on ya," he said.

"What, he doesn't think I can handle the job by myself?" I replied.

"Nah, t'ain't nothin' like that," he said. "He just wanted me to make sure I had the cavalry ready fer whenever yer done fishin' fer whatever it is he wants ta know from this here Professor chick. Heard ya got a whole clan up in there. Gotta be sure none of 'em git out come time fer you to pull out. Heh heh heh. Oh, you can bet yer tail pinchers I'm lookin' forward to when yer done, Sugar."

"I see," I replied, "So tell me, Tough Guy. How many are gonna be in this cavalry of yours?"

"Well, that all depends," he said, "Do I wanna share tha fun with my Hunters, or do I wanna keep it all ta myself? I reckon I might just shoot 'em all myself since the Hunters get all the other clans. My trigger finger's been itchy fer some action since I can't recall how long, and I ain't been able to satisfy it."

"Oh, I promise you'll get your Rambo moment, Mr. Five-Star General," I replied and rubbed my talon on his face as I walked past him. "The blood will be all yours."

"O-o-o-oh, I love it when ya do that," he said as he grabbed my wrist. "You reckon we can have some time fer us while we're out here, Sugar?"

"Sorry, Babe," I replied. "Don't got a lot of time left on this cloak. And I need to get back before they find me missing."

"Alright," he said as he grinned and let go of my wrist. "Next time, maybe?"

"We'll see," I replied and kept walking.

He just stood there staring at me as I walked down that street and back around the corner.

"All of a sudden, this assignment doesn't seem so bad," I thought to myself and smiled as I walked the rest of the way back to the apartment.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Gold Demona)

"And he stood there staring at me like he didn't know what I was mad about!" I yelled. "Ugh! I just wanted to strangle him! I'm glad he went to the roof, cuz I don't think could even stand to look at him right now!"

I sat at the kitchen bar counter, still rubbing all the places that were hurting. My arms, my ribs, my waist, my legs, all were in a whole dimension of pain I never experienced before. Currently, I was rubbing on my arms.

Red sat at the counter next to me, and Vaala was in the kitchen raiding the pantry.

"Don't you think you're overreacting just a little, Gold?" Red asked.

"If you'd gone through what I had to go through today, you wouldn't be asking me that," I answered and then I had to lean down and rub my aching ribs, "Aughhhh..."

I laid my head on the counter because it was hurting too much to keep myself sitting upright.

"Still hurt?" Vaala asked as she passed me a soda from the fridge.

My face stiffened as I stopped to blink for a moment. That just seemed like the stupidest question in the world to me.

"No!" I replied and glared at her, "I'm humming a little song called 'Ouch'! Of course I still hurt!"

"Agh! Ahnd Ah thoht my timpar wos a frightnin' theng," Mac said as she walked in from behind the TV, "Fer Pete's sehk, lass, Ah ken hear ya clear frohm tha lahb. Wos lahst night thaht bahd?"

"Pfft! Are you kidding me?" Vaala replied, "The two of them kept me up all night with all the noise they were making."

"I had to stop watching TV and go to the statue room cuz I didn't wanna hear the noise anymore," Red added.

"Oh shut up!" I yelled, not wanting to hear any more about last night.

"Thin wot's ohll thes fuss aboot?" She asked.

"Jigen fell asleep holding onto Gold," Vaala said.

"Very firmly, I might add!" I growled. "Oh God, it hurts!"

"And she's been bitching about it all night," Red said.

"Why ded ya noht breng thes ta me soonar, lass?" Mac asked, "Ah've goht jost tha theng for such sooreness."

"You do?" Vaala asked.

"You do?" I repeated as I slowly turned my head in her direction.

"Aye, Ah do," she said, "Ah've hahd many a hyooman patient spint tha deh ehn theh arms of a gargoyle."

"Good," Red said, "Maybe if she's not hurting, she'll stop bitching about it."

"Shut up!" I yelled.

"Cohme noow, lass," Mac said as she walked up behind me and carefully placed her talon on my arm. Luckily for her, it didn't land on one of my sore spots. "Lit's get ya to tha lahb. Ah'll fex ya right ohp, ahnd ya'll beh good ahs new."

"It's hurts to move," I groaned, my head still firmly planted to the counter.

"You have to move to get to the lab, Gold," Vaala said.

"I know..." I groaned and then slowly turned on my stool.

"Thaht's eht, lass," Mac said, keeping her talon on me as she slowly walked me across the living room.

"I'll be glad when this is over," I said.

"Ye should beh glahd ye were lyin' doown whin ye goht stohck, lass," Mac said. "Eht could hahve ben far warse."

"Worse?" I repeated.

"Aye."

"How could it've been worse?"

"Ye could hahve ben stohck stahndin' ohp," she said.

"Eee...!" I cringed at the thought of it. "You're right. That would've been worse."

She only nodded as we continued down to the lab.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Boober)

"So that WAS you we met on the bus last week," The one named Meryl said as I sat down at the bar.

"I told you so, Meryl," The one named Millie added in her overly cheerful tone of voice. "I knew from the very beginning that it was a stage name. Isn't that Right, Mr. Freddie?"

"Uh, yes," I answered, because what else could I do, "That's right."

"I knew it," Millie replied.

"Anyway," Meryl said, "We came here because we got an anonymous tip that you were actually a gargoyle in disguise. And if that's true, then your boss might want to consider signing a contract with Bernardelli. We have plans that cover any damages done by gargoyles."

"Although in actuality," Millie added, "It's really just a huge waste of money because gargoyles aren't really like that."

"Millie, keep it down!" Meryl grumbled. "Are you trying to get us in trouble?"

"Sorry, Meryl," she replied and covered her mouth. "But you know how I feel about these things, and I can't ignore my feelings, even on the job."

"You'll be happy to know dat we feel deh same way," Rafiki said, "We don't require such an insurance plan heah. I'm sorry to have wasted your time."

"It's alright," Meryl said as she started gathering her things. "At any rate, it's more than obvious he's not a gargoyle. I personally don't have anything against them, but it's part of the job to include these ridiculous plans in our pitch. I'm glad that this call ended up being false. Otherwise, we would've had to report you to the authorities, and we'd rather not entangle ourselves with them. We've got another assignment we have to look into anyway. There's a rumor going around about a man in Aiuto City claiming to be some kind of humanoid typhoon. Thank you for your time. Let's go, Millie."

"Okay," she said as they both walked out the door.

As they were finally outside, I realized that I hadn't taken a proper breath for several minutes. I let out a loud sigh and started taking deep breaths.

"Are you alright, Freddie?" Luna asked as she handed me a drink.

"It felt like I was having a heart attack," I replied and started to drink.

"Well, it's over now," she said. "See? You had nothing to worry about."

"I know, but I can't help it," I said, "I can't just relax. That's just how I am."

"Well, it's ovah now," Rafiki said, "You cahn go home to your family and relax whenevah you are ready."

I nodded and kept drinking.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Mac)

"How are you feeling, lass?" I asked as Gold rested on the gurney.

"Better now," she said, "Not hurting near as much."

"That's good," I said, "So the treatment's working for you, is it?"

"Yeah," she said.

"Good," I said, "Just rest there until the pain leaves you completely."

"Mmm," she replied.

The treatment I gave her was in the form of a serum I'd invented for instances such as his, a human caught in the arms of their gargoyle lover as the sun rose. Quite a common occurrence among such couples. As a practicing doctor, I saw it on a regular basis. The serum essentially sped up the healing process, targeting specifically the areas that hurt, though only so long as the patient remained at rest.

It did not surprise me that this sort of thing would happen to them. As a matter of fact, I may have subconsciously anticipated it. The batch I had ready for Gold I'd only made the week before in my spare time.

She stayed silent for a moment, staring at the ceiling from where she lay. She seemed much more calm and relaxed than she was earlier, which put me more at ease. I had to say it that was most rather unsettling to see her so upset.

"Mac?" she said.

"Aye, lass," I replied.

"What's are the odds of me getting pregnant?" she asked.

"You're worried about that?" I chuckled.

"Well, we've got enough on our plate with everything going on here," she said, "I don't want to have to take care of a kid ontop of all that."

"Well, I can honestly say, lass," I said, "That pregnancy is most certainly not a concern with you."

"It's not?" she asked and turned her head as much to my direction as she could from where she lay.

"If ever you and Jigen decide that you want children," I said, "You'd have to adopt, because pregnancy just isn't possible."

"And why not?"

"You're sterile," I answered, "Simple as that. There's just nothing in you to make a child with."

"Oh," she replied and turned back around. "Okay."

Again she fell silent.

"Does that bother you, lass?" I asked out of curiosity, "That you can't conceive?"

"It does, a little," she said, "I don't want kids right now, but maybe eventually. It's kind of depressing knowing I can't make my own."

"I know what you mean, lass," I said, "I wasn't sterile, but I never had the chance at creating my own children either. The one egg I did lay was a dud."

"Hmm," she said. "Do you think I might've been too hard on Jigen tonight? Kicking him out like that?"

"Aye, I'd say that was a wee bit overboard," I said. "I know you had all day to build up your rage, lass, but letting it all out on him like you did probably wasn't the wisest thing you could've done. If I had to guess, he most likely didn't know what happened until after he got the boot."

"He was asleep the whole time," she said, "Maybe he didn't know. He must be so mad at me right now. He's probably gone through a whole pack of cigarettes since he's been up there. Maybe even two."

"Only way to know for certain is to speak with him, lass," I said.

"He probably doesn't even wanna look at me right now," she replied, "Let alone talk to me."

"We'll find out in soon enough," I pointed out as I checked the time. "The time on his cloaker should be close to running down now if he went up right after sunset. If he's looking to find you, we'll be seeing him in here shortly."

"Yeah," she said and then let out a sigh.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Jigen)

"Damn, I hope she's cooled down by now," I thought as I walked down the hall.

My cloaker started beeping just as I got to the door.

"Cuz I sure as hell can't stall anymore," I continued my thought and stepped into the apartment.

Red and Vaala were chatting in the kitchen. They both turned their eyes to me as I shut the door behind me.

"Hey, Jigen," Vaala greeted, "Done smoking?"

"Didn't have a choice," I said as I pointed to my beeping cloaker and turned it off. "Would've stayed longer if I could help it."

"If you wanna see Gold," Vaala said, "Mac took her to the lab to heal."

"Right," I replied and started my way there.

I'd just gotten to the TV when it swung open and Silverbolt stepped out from behind it.

"Has anyone seen Blackarachnia?" he asked.

"Lost her already?" I asked.

"I've not seen her since she left us on the roof," he said.

"She might've gone for a walk in the city," Vaala said.

"I know I would," Red said, "Walk around with everyone else and not have to worry about getting killed."

"I suppose," he said and went to join them.

"I'm serious, Silver," I said, "Keep a close eye on her."

"Yes, Jigen, I know," he said. "Caution is one thing I don't lack. I'll be careful."

"Alright," I said and continued into the penthouse.

As I walked down the hall, I found Mac walking up it.

"Ah fegured ya'd beh doown here soon enohff," she said to me as she walked past me. "Mehk sure she dosn't move."

"Move?" I asked. "Move from where?"

"Jost go, lad," she said as she disappeared around the corner to the apartment. "She's wehtin for ya."

"...Alright," I replied and kept going.

I opened the door and stepped in, and there she was, lying on the gurney by the wall, looking right at me. Thankfully, she wasn't flaring pink this time.

"Hi," I said as I walked over and sat down on the chair nearest to her.

"Hi," she said.

"Uh..." I started, "Mac told me to make sure you didn't move."

"Yeah," she said, "Not until the pain's all gone."

"So you're still hurting?" I asked.

"Not nearly as much as I was earlier," she said. "But yeah."

"Mm..." I replied.

A long and awkward silence. I couldn't think of anything to say. It made me feel awful knowing that I caused her so much pain without even meaning to.

"Look, Gold, I..." I started, but the rest of the sentence just wouldn't come out.

"Jigen..." she started.

"I'm sorry," we both wound up saying.

I looked over to her, and she was looking at me. I waited for a second to see if she was gonna keep going. She didn't, so I did.

"If I hadn't wanted so badly to stay with you last night," I said, "You wouldn't have had to go through all that today, and you wouldn't be in here hurting right now."

"No, Jigen," she said, "Neither of us could've known this was gonna happen. I shouldn't have exploded on you like I did."

"A day's worth of anger," I said. "All that pain, and I was the source of it."

"That doesn't mean it was right," she said. "I could've handled it better."

"Nobody's perfect, Gold," I said, "I know that fact better than anybody. What matters is we both learned something from all this."

"Yeah," she said, "Don't pass out after having sex."

"Heh," I chuckled, because that wasn't something I expected to hear from her. "Well, was THAT good for you, at least?"

"Yeah," she said and smiled at me, "It was."

I couldn't help but smiled back. She was so beautiful, looking at me with those big red eyes. I bent down to her from where I sat in the chair and kissed her.

"I love you," she said after I finished kissing her.

"I love you, too," I replied as we put our foreheads together.

"Last night," she said, "It was the first time I ever shared my bed with anyone. I wish I could share it with you every night."

"You still could," I said, "I'd just have to make sure to leave before sunrise."

"I mean without you having to leave afterwards," she said, "Without having to worry about hiding."

"We'll get there," I said, "Eventually, this'll all be behind us, and we'll be able to spend as much time as we want together. Just... not like we were today."

"Heh, yeah," she laughed, "Not like today."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Reno)

I watched him as he walked out of the club and down the street to that apartment building of his. Apparently, the insurance company I'd called couldn't find anything on him. Not that I really expected them to after finding out that they sent a couple of goody-goody girl scouts to check him out.

"That smug little bastard," I mumbled to myself. "Eventually I'll expose you for the monster you are, and when I do, you'll wish you never met me."

"You fixin' to start some'n, boy?" asked a loud voice from behind me.

I turned around and found a big muscular guy with camo pants, combat boots, and some weird mask on his face.

"So what if I am?" I asked. "That guy's a gargoyle, and I'm gonna prove it. And when I do, I'll get the respect I deserve."

"If ther's anythin' I hate more than gargoyles," he said, "It's someone goin' around callin' people gargoyles."

"I'm only calling him that cuz that's what he is," I insisted, starting to get annoyed at this guy. "And just who the hell are you?"

"Heh," he chuckled, "Wouldn't you like ta know? Let's just say I can have you arrested if yer claims are just hot air."

"I'm telling you he IS one," I said, not liking where the conversation was going, "I touched his wings with my own hands."

"Word on the street is ya felt 'im up in front of a buncha people to try an' prove it," he said, "And done nuttin' but make a fool o' yerself. Not only makin' false accusations, but ya got a count of sexul harassment on ya."

He was making me nervous. Just who the hell did he think he was to talk to me like that?

"If ya can't back up yer claim," he said and pulled out a small communication device. "Then I'm gonna have to gitcha locked up."

"Hey, wait just a minute!" I yelled, "You never even gave me a chance to prove anything. Just who the hell are you?"

Then he pushed the button on his device and put it to his masked-up face.

"We got u a wolf-crier, boys," he said, "Come and git 'im."

"What?" I laughed, "You can't arrest me yourself? You have to call in reinforcements to lock me up?"

He just looked at me as two cops walked up from practically nowhere and grabbed me. I tried to get loose, but they pinned me down and slipped the cuffs on me before I could even think.

"What the hell?!" I replied, "Just what the hell kind of cop are you?!"

"Never said I was no cop," he said to me and then looked at the cops who were holding me down, "You know what to do with 'im, boys."

"Of course, Colonel Quickstrike," they both replied.

"Colonel Quickstrike?!" I thought to myself, immediately recognizing the name, "Aw HELL no! I just got busted by the Prime Ruler's Head Hunter?! What the hell?!"

He bent down so his face was inches from mine. He narrowed his eyes and although I couldn't see his mouth through his mask, I could tell he was grinning at me.

"The Boss is gonna have fun with you," he said, "Take 'im away, boys."

"Hey!" I yelled as they started dragging me off. Quickstrike just stood there, watching me as I glared at him.

"HEY!" I repeated, "You're the Prime Ruler's Head Hunter! You should be looking into this! He's a gargoyle, I tell you! I'm tellin' you the truth!"

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Quickstrike)

I laughed at the idjut as the officers dragged his sorry ass away. Enjoying every second as his babblin' got quieter and quieter until he was long gone from sight.

"Ain't that I don't believe you, boy," I said after he was gone. "Just don't want you gittin' in my way."

I looked at the nightclub across the street, and I felt that itch in my trigger finger again.

"Too bad I can't just blow the damn thing right now," I thought, "But orders are orders. I gotta wait 'til Sugar's done with her part."


	24. Chapter 23: Many Happy Returns

Gold Demona

**Chapter XXIII**

Many Happy Returns

(Gold Demona)

(Couple months later...)(December 12, 2110 A.D.)

"But I wanna lick it!" Markl yelled as he wrestled with Red for the spatula.

"Hey! You got to lick the beaters!" Red yelled back.

"Well, you got to taste the frosting!" Markl yelled back.

Vaala was baking a cake in the kitchen while Red and Markl helped out. Silverbolt and Blackarachnia sat at the counter watching the goings-on in the kitchen. Jigen sat on the couch and watched me as I decorated the Christmas tree in the corner by the TV. I think he was staring more at me than what I was doing. I didn't mind, though.

"You know what?" Vaala said as she grabbed the spatula from Red's talon, "Neither of you get it."

"Hey!" They both whined as Vaala walked over to me and handed me the spatula.

"I get to have it instead, huh?" I chuckled.

"Well, why not?" Vaala smiled, "After all, it is your hatchday."

I laughed a little as I took the spatula from her hand. I sat down on the couch next to Jigen as I started licking.

"I kinda feel bad that we haven't celebrate anyone else's hatchday, though," I said. "I'm sure a lot of them have past since you all got here."

"Don't worry yourself," Silverbolt said. "There are more important things to worry about."

"Yeah, Gold," Markl added, "I don't really care. Just being together with everybody is enough for me."

"Besides," Jigen added, "It's not like you can afford to celebrate all our hatchdays anyway, even with Boober's and mine being in the same place."

"Yeah," Vaala said as she checked the timer on the oven. "We were lucky to have the extra money to make a cake big enough to feed everybody."

"I wouldn't mind at least having a cake for my hatchday," Red said and then sighed, "But then again, I like being able to eat full meals."

"I would much rather take the security of a full meal over a hatchday celebration," Silverbolt said.

"I agree," Blackarachnia said and stood up from her stool, "I'm gonna go take a breather on the roof."

"It's cold out there," Silverbolt pointed out. "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure," she said as she turned on her cloaker and walked out the door.

"I will go as well," Silverbolt said and followed her out.

"Hmph," Jigen snorted after they both were gone and the door was shut.

"And what's your problem?" I asked him.

"I don't trust her any further than I can kick her," he said.

"And I thought Boober was paranoid," Red said. "Are you sure it's not just your girl-a-phobia talking? I mean, so far she hasn't done anything suspicious."

"Yeah, but something about her just isn't sitting right with me," he said. "It usually means something really bad's gonna happen, and I'm usually right about this sort of thing."

"Well, we can't go treating her like an enemy if she hasn't done anything," Vaala said, still staring at the oven.

"Well, Krypto doesn't like her, either," Markl pointed out. "Mac has to keep him in the lab most of the time so he won't attack her."

"Glad I'm not the only one," Jigen said and got up from the couch.

"And where are you going?" I asked.

"To smoke," he said as he walked over to the balcony door.

I got up and followed him out. He slid the door shut after we were both outside.

"I'm really glad there's an alternative place to be outside," Jigen said as he pulled out a cigarette and stuck it in his beak. "It's kinda funny. The first time I saw this balcony, I was falling towards it."

"And then you crashed through it," I added.

"Yeah," he said, "Who'da thought I'd be smoking out here?"

He pulled out his lighter and lit his cigarette.

"You don't really have to be out here with me," he said, "It's cold out here, and your cake's in there."

"Yeah, but it's not ready yet," I pointed out and wrapped an arm around his back to pull myself closer.

He put his talon on my shoulder and pulled me closer as he held his cigarette with the other talon.

"Wish I could've gotten you somethin'," he said.

"It doesn't matter," I said. "I don't want anything, really. To be honest, I don't know if I even want the cake. It just seems like a lot for the way we're living, especially since she's making everything from scratch."

"Hey, if you have the extra money to burn," he said, "Then why not?"

"Well, there's also Christmas coming up," I pointed out, "What're we gonna do about that? If we spent all our extra money on my hatchday cake, we might not be able to celebrate Christmas."

"Hey, it's like you said," he said, "It doesn't matter. Everyone agreed on cake. So that's what Vaala got."

"Yeah, but why MY hatchday?" I asked, "And not anyone else's?"

"Does it matter why?" he replied, "Don't worry about it so much. If it makes you feel any better, my hatchday hasn't past yet since I got here."

"It hasn't?" I asked, "When is it?"

"July tenth," he said, "And if you forget it, you can ask Boober his hatchday and get the exact same date."

I laughed at that, because it was so obvious. I leaned my head into his shoulder, careful not to lean too far and poke him with my horns. I was starting to really feel cold. I had on a jacket and long pants, but it was still way too cold. I found myself pressing as close as I could to Jigen's body. He started rubbing my arm with his talon.

"I told you it was cold," he said as he threw his cigarette away. "Come 'ere."

I moved so we were facing each other and wrapped my arms and wings around his waist inside his jacket. He wrapped his arms and wings around me and we both looked at each other.

"You say you don't know what you're gonna do for Christmas?" he said.

"Yeah," I replied.

"You still have the money I gave you, right?" he asked.

"Well, yeah," I said, "I keep the briefcase under my bed, and I've been putting more in it, but--"

"Gold, you're not gonna be able to buy my gun back," he interrupted, "I'm telling you this right now. You don't make nearly enough to be able to raise the kind of money it takes to buy it back."

"And how do you know that?" I asked.

"Simple," he said, "I know how much you make. I know how much of it is used on living expenses, and I know how much that gun is worth. Trust me on this. You don't make nearly enough. I don't want you to try and buy it back for me. It's not worth the trouble. If you don't want to use the money on yourself, then you can use it to put together a decent Christmas for everybody. There's more than enough in there to buy everyone some nice gifts."

I lowered my gaze, trying to think. I didn't want to give up trying to save money for his gun, because I knew that he sacrificed a lot by selling it.

"I'm serious, Gold," he said as he pushed me away so we could see each other better, keeping his talons on my arms, "Don't try to buy my gun back. You're just setting yourself up for a huge case of disappointment. I can guarantee you the selling price is almost twice what I got for it."

I hung my head and pulled myself back to him. He squeezed me a little as I did.

"I know you want to try and fix things," he said, "But this just isn't something you can fix."

I let out a sigh. I couldn't help but think he might've been right. I've only been putting in extra cash from my own earnings, and even though I've saved up a good amount, it wasn't very much compared to what was already in there.

"But I can't help but feel like you gave up so much for nothing," I said. "I don't want to keep all that money knowing that you did it to save our finances and then found out afterwards that it wasn't necessary."

"Stop thinking like that," he said as he used his claw to lift my chin up, "Listen to me. I gave it up knowing full well that I wouldn't be getting it back. I gave it up for you, Gold. That money is yours to do with what you wish. Just don't keep it for something that just isn't possible."

"...Alright," I replied, not really wanting to agree.

I looked into his eyes through the shadow under his hat. They were so dark and deep. I could tell he really meant what he was saying. After a few seconds, he closed them and kissed me. The cigarette was still fresh in his breath, but I didn't care.

"You know I love you, right?" he asked as we parted.

"Of course I know that," I answered.

"Then you also know that I want you to be happy," he said, "I don't want you putting yourself under unneeded stress. You already age faster than I do. I don't need you making it any faster."

I laughed at that, and then he kissed me again. Then I heard a beeping sound coming from inside.

"Must be the cake," Jigen said.

"Yeah," I replied.

"Wanna go back in?" he asked.

"Not yet," I replied, "Let's stay out here just a little longer."

"Alright," he said and then continued kissing me.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Silverbolt)

I followed Blackarachnia out of the apartment and up to the roof.

"You didn't have to follow me up, you know," she said.

"I only thought you would like some company," I replied.

"What for?" she asked. "I've been alone my whole life. Why would right now be any different?"

"Because now you have friends," I answered. "I thought you would have realized this by now."

"I don't see the point," she said. "All this rescuing you're doing is your job, right? Why make attachments to the people you're working with?"

"If that was all there was to it," I replied, "Then we would not all be in the same place. We stay together because we care for one another. We respect each other and give each other support. The way any other clan would."

"But you're not a real clan," she said, "You're just a bunch of lost gargoyles gathered in the same place."

"Yes, we all gathered here," I said, "But we also all stayed here. All of us had the choice to leave the country, but we all chose to stay. As a matter of fact, Jigen had already left the country once after arriving here. And three weeks after he left, he came right back."

"And why did he go and do a stupid thing like that?" she asked.

"I will tell you why," I answered, "He fell in love with Gold, but he didn't realize this until after he'd already left. He came back here to be with her."

"You sure like to spit out sap," she said.

"What I say is the truth," I said, "You can ask him yourself, if you wish."

"Ha, yeah right," she said, "I've seen the way he looks at me. He probably wants me dead. Him and that damn beast of yours."

"Well, the least you could do is try to get along with everyone," I said. "When you're with everyone else, you seem so distant. It's almost as if you haven't a clue how to act when you're with other people."

She turned and glared at me.

"You've never been around other gargoyles before this, have you?" I asked.

She walked up to me, keeping her glare fixed on me as she stopped just inches from my face.

"Listen, Bonehead," she retorted and pointed her claw into my chest. "You're getting a little too nosey for your own good. My past and my life are none of your business. I'd suggest you keep your questions to yourself."

"Uh, Er..." I stuttered, taken aback by her response, "Yes, ma'am."

"Now if you don't mind," she said as she started to walk away from me, "I'd like to be alone for a while."

I took a step backwards towards the door.

"Certainly," I said as I slowly turned around and walked away.

As I reached the door, I turned my gaze back to her. There was a sting of ice in her stare as she watched me.

"I am sorry if I offended you, Blackarachnia," I said to her, "It is force of habit that I try to know the people I live with. I don't mean any disrespect."

"Just go," she said. "I'll be back down in a few minutes."

I nodded and continued through the door to the stairs. I shut it behind me and walked down the stairs.

"That was rather unpleasant," I thought to myself as I walked through the other door and down the hall. "I need to be more careful."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Boober)

I was in a hurry to get out of my stage clothes. What awful luck that Gold's hatchday had to fall on one of the two nights of the week I worked. I rushed my regular clothes back on and bolted out the door, nearly plowing over Luna.

"Ah!" she jumped as I stopped right in front of her. "Boober, what's your hurry?"

"I'm sorry, Luna," I said, "My clan's waiting for me at home. Hatchday party."

"Oh," she said, "Then I guess this isn't the right time to ask for a favor."

"What kind of a favor?" I asked.

"Well," she said, hesitating a little, "My cats need to be fed at a particular time. They get really fussy if they don't get fed on time, but I can't do it tonight because I need to stay late and help Rafiki prepare the place for the yearly Christmas rush. Belldandy can't do it because she's spending time with her husband and sisters. I was gonna ask if you could do it, but I guess you're busy, too."

"A member of the third race can't be in two places at once?" I asked.

"Even we fey have limitations," she said.

"Well, I don't mind doing it," I said, "As long as I can get home before my five hours are up. Where do you live?"

"No, Boober, it's not that important," she said, "You need to get to that hatchday party. I'm sure they'll manage one night getting their meal late. I'd just have to deal with their griping when I get home."

"No, I insist," I said, "The clan can start the party without me. It's not my hatchday anyway. I'll go feed your cats."

"Are you sure?" she asked. "You don't mind?"

"No, not at all," I said, "You've all done so much for me these past couple of months just by having me here. It's only fair that I help you where I can."

She smiled at me and reached into her pocket. She pulled out a set of keys and handed them to me.

"It's a little out of the way for you," she said, "You go around the corner and down the street. You'll see a brick building with a white door. The apartment number's on the key. When you get inside, you'll see two refrigerators in the kitchen. The little one has the food for the cats. You got all that?"

"I think so," I said as I started to walk away, "You said a brick building with a white door, right?"

"Right," she said, "And Boober?"

"Yes, Luna?" I replied as I stopped and looked back.

She smiled at me and breathed a sigh.

"Thank you," she said "You have no idea what a relief this is for me. You can just leave the keys on the table when you leave."

I smiled back and nodded.

"Oh, and be sure to only give them one each," she said as she turned and started walking away, "And only one."

"Okay," I said as she disappeared around the corner. "No problem."

I looked down at the key and started on my way out.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Mac)

"Agh!" I groaned as I stared at the screen.

I was feeling rather frustrated. I'd created a new program for my computer to show me a visual graphic image of what the extra piece of Gold's DNA was for. All it showed me was an image of the mark that was on Gold's back, which only confirmed to me that this mark actually was something that she inherited. But I just knew that there had to be something more to it than just a design on her skin.

I leaned back in my chair and drank my scotch, putting together the formulas in my mind and trying to think of what variables I may be missing.

"Perhaps there is more to this puzzle than simply her genetics," I thought to myself, twirling the glass in my talon. "There may be more pieces I need to find before I can discover the solution."

I placed my glass down on the counter beside me. I then placed my elbow on the counter and my talon to my forehead.

I turned my gaze over to Krypto, who was lying on the floor beside the table, his eyes fixated on the door. I knew very well why. Ever since Blackarachnia arrived, he had been on high alert. I've had to keep him confined to the lab to avoid any harm to come to the lass. He would occasionally growl or whine in frustration, but never did he move from that spot. He knew full well that he would not be allowed out.

"Are you as frustrated as I am?" I asked the beastie.

He raised his head and turned it in my direction.

"Nah, I'd say your frustration's far worse than mine," I said. "I was merely hoping to have some information to give to Gold for her hatchday, but I'm afraid I won't be giving her more than what she already knows."

He turned his head and laid it back on the floor where it was, again to stare at the door. I looked again at image on the screen. And then I saw something I'd not noticed before.

"And what's this now?" I wondered out loud as I took a closer look at the screen.

There was a kind of mist swirling around the graphic.

"Well, that's rather peculiar," I said.

I then heard the lab door open and turned to see who it was. Markl stepped in and quickly pushed it back shut.

"The cake's almost ready, Mac," he said, "Vaala's icing it right now."

"Alright," I replied. "I'll be over in a moment."

"What are you looking at?" he asked and walked over beside me.

"Trying to figure out more about Gold," I replied.

"Isn't that the tattoo on her back?" he asked.

"Aye, that it is," I said, "But she was hatched with it. That's why I'm studying it. This is what's in the extra code of DNA she has. But I'm not sure what to make of this mist that surrounds the mark."

He leaned closer to the computer, looking closely at the screen.

"That looks kinda like magic," he said. "But it's way different from any of the magic I've learned."

"Magic, you say?" I replied. "Hmm... That would make sense. It would explain how she is able to change between species the way she does. And this code would be the connection between the two separate species, linking the two with magic. But what sort of magic would be powerful enough to accomplish such a thing? And why on Earth would anyone cast this on a gargoyle egg?"

"Beats me," he said with a shrug. "You're the genius. I'm just a kid."

"Aye, but my realm is science, not sorcery," I said as I closed the program and slowly rose from my chair, "If there is in fact magic involved here, you would be more likely to find it out than I would. With your help, I think I can find the pieces I'm missing to this puzzle."

"Gold is a puzzle?" he asked, tilting his head in confusion.

"Aye, lad," I answered as we began walking to the door, "A puzzle with several pieces to her, and I'm hoping to one day solve her."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Boober)

I reached the door with the number that matched the number on the key. I unlocked the door and stepped inside. I shut it behind me and went into the kitchen, leaving the keys on the dining room table on the way. I opened the smaller fridge and noticed that it had nothing but fish inside. Dozens of whole fish were piled inside.

"She feeds them whole fish?" I thought, "I guess this is what she meant by giving them one each."

I looked down to the floor and saw two plates, one labeled 'Nall', and the other labeled 'Ruby'. I pulled two large fish out of the fridge and put them on the plates, shutting the fridge as I went.

"Well, that was easy enough," I thought to myself as I turned to the door, "And now I can go home."

"Luna?" called a small squeaky voice from seemingly nowhere. "Is that you?"

"Who was that?" I thought, stopping where I was, "She didn't say anyone else lived here."

"Hey, Luna! What gives? We're starving here!" the voice called again as a small cat walked around the corner, "What took you so--"

The cat stopped as soon as she saw me and just stared at me. It was a pink cat with a patch of brown on its forehead and poofy white fur around its neck, wearing a yellow bow on its head. I didn't know what to think. It wasn't enough that it was a cat with pink-colored fur, but it was also talking.

"Hey, Ruby," called another squeaky voice as another cat walked around the corner, "What's the mat--?"

It was a white cat with black front paws and tufts of light brown fur on its head and chest. This one also stopped and stared at me. It was a long and awkward moment. Nobody spoke or moved for what seemed like forever. They were obviously as surprised to see me there as I was to hear them talking.

"That's not Luna," the white one said.

"Definitely not Luna." The pink one agreed, and then looked to the white one, "Unless she turned herself into a guy."

"Somehow, I don't think she'd do that," the white one said.

"Especially not one so ugly," the pink one said.

"Hey," I protested.

"Ruby!" the white one scolded.

"Well it's true," she replied, "He is."

"Look, I'm only here because Luna asked me to come feed you," I said, "She didn't tell me that you could talk."

"Well, she didn't tell us that you'd be coming tonight either," the white one said. "We weren't expecting to see you so soon."

"So soon?" I repeated, "So you know who I am?"

"Duh!" the pink one said, rolling her eyes, "You're Boober, the gargoyle singing at the club Luna works at."

"Um, yes," I replied, "That's me."

"And you're still kinda freaked out about seeing a pair of talking cats," the white one said. "Am I right?"

I just sort of stared for a moment. I couldn't think of anything to say to that, mostly because he was right. It seemed like just when I was beginning to get used to the idea of working with members of the third race, I find something even stranger than that.

"Alright, let's start from the beginning," the white one said, "I'm Nall."

"And I'm Ruby," the pink one said.

"Okay," I replied, still trying to take it in, "Nall, Ruby. Alright."

"You haven't dealt with much of the third race before working at the nightclub," Nall said. "Have you?"

"No," I answered, "I can honestly say I haven't. This is all still very new to me."

"Geez, after working with 'em for a couple months, I'd think you'd be used to it by now," Ruby said. "Mortals are so weird."

"Well, it's not like we're widely known to be anything other than myth," Nall replied. "Ya gotta give him that."

"Yeah, I guess," Ruby replied, "Hey, doesn't that cloaking device have a time limit on it?"

"Oh, yes!" I said as I started for the door. "I have to get home."

"Thanks for coming to feed us," Nall said.

"No problem," I replied as I bolted out the door. "Bye."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Gold Demona)

"Hatchday girl gets first piece!" Vaala announced as she started cutting the cake.

Everyone was gathered in the dining room of the penthouse. A large round cake sat at the center of the table. Twenty-six candles lay piled on the tray next to the cake, still smoking at the wicks from when I blew them out. It seemed almost homely having everyone in the same room. Even Mac, who practically lives in her lab. Boober had managed to arrive back from work just in time to join the singing.

I just sort of watched as Vaala laid the slice on the plate and set it in front of me. I smiled as she continued slicing and handing the plates around, although the smile was mostly forced. I wish I could say I was enjoying myself, but I couldn't help but feel something nagging at me.

"What's with the depressing face, Gold?" Vaala asked as she sliced the last piece of cake and sat down to eat it.

"What depressing face?" I asked.

"That one," she replied, pointing her fork at me. "The one you're making right now."

"She's probably still feeling guilty," Jigen said.

"You mean about how hers is the only hatchday we've celebrated so far?" Red asked, sounding annoyed as she asked it.

"Yeah," he replied.

"Oh, come on!" Red replied and then looked at me, still chewing the chunk of cake she had in her mouth. "Get over it, already!"

"I can't help it," I said, "It just doesn't seem right."

"Gold, we already told you," Vaala said, "We agreed on your party. You don't have to feel guilty."

"But--" I started.

"And if you don't stop feeling guilty," she interrupted, "I'm going to have to shove the spatula of frosting down your throat to shut you up."

"Now, that's not necessary," Silverbolt replied. "Gold, there are better things to worry about than whose hatchday we celebrate. Relax. Enjoy yourself. This opportunity may not come again for some time. We must all make the most of this night while we can. Who knows if even Christmas will be this pleasant?"

"Aye, agreed," Mac said, "Thes ehs sohmthin weh ohl need."

"And the cakes really good, too," Markl said.

"Aye, Ah'll agree ta thaht as will," Mac replied, "Ah'm noht one far pastries m'silf, baht thes is ixcellent, Vaala."

"Thanks," Vaala replied.

"Hey, Boober," I called over to him across the table, "You're being really quiet. What's up?"

"Oh um," he started, "It's nothing, really. I just had another strange night at work. That's all."

"You wanna talk about it?" Vaala asked.

"Mm-mm," he answered and shook his head, "Not tonight."

"Of course he doesn't," Red retorted, "He never wants to talk about anything revolving around his job."

"Red, please," Boober said, "Not now."

"Well, you don't," Red said, "Anytime any of us even mentions your job, you move to another subject quick, fast, and in a hurry. Don't think I didn't notice that."

"Red!" Boober yelled, "Can this wait? Please?"

She glared at him for a moment and then continued eating her cake.

"Fine," she said, "You'll be hearing about this later."

"Good," Boober replied and continued eating his. "Later, not now."

I thought it was kind of funny. The way they were fighting, the two of them seemed almost like a married couple, although they've yet to even declare themselves as any kind of couple. I suppose it came from knowing each other as long as they have.

I had to smile. Even with that small outburst, everyone seemed to be happy and enjoying themselves. Everyone, that is, except for Blackarachnia.

I couldn't help but notice her standing in the corner of the room while the rest of us were sitting at the table, even though there were plenty of chairs so everyone could sit. I looked over to her and also noticed she hardly touched her cake. She wasn't looking at anybody either. She was just standing there with the plate of cake in her talons, just staring at it and poking at it with her fork.

"Don't like cake?" I asked her.

"Wouldn't know," she said, "Never had it."

I could hear some of the chairs creak as everyone turned to look at her.

"You've never had cake before?" Vaala asked.

"I'm pretty sure that's what I said," Blackarachnia replied.

"What kind of deprived life were YOU living?" Red asked.

"One wethoot cake, appirentleh," Mac said.

"I can't imagine a life without cake," Markl said.

"Even if it IS a luxury to people like us," Jigen added.

"We do kinda take this for granted," Boober agreed. "And that goes for a lot of the things we can do that most other gargoyles can't in this country."

"That's true. This is a luxury," Silverbolt said, "Which makes us even more fortunate to be able to have this. All the more reason for us to be thankful for what we have."

"Here's to being able to eat cake," Vaala said as she lifted up her glass of soda.

"To eating cake," I agreed and lifted my glass of soda.

"To eating cake," Everyone else at the table agreed and lifted their glasses.

"And a Happy Hatchday to Gold," Vaala said.

"Happy Hatchday," everyone repeated.

"Ahnd menny hahppy retarns," Mac added.

Blackarachnia set her plate down on the table, her piece still mostly whole, and walked out of the dining room.

"What's her problem?" I asked when she was gone.

"I will find out," Silverbolt said as he finished his piece and got up from the table. "The cake was delicious, Vaala. Thank you for making it."

"Thanks," Vaala said as Silverbolt disappeared out the door.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Prime Ruler Bethovich)

"I've not heard from you for some time, Blackarachnia," I said as we opened communication. "I was beginning to think that I may have lost you."

"I just haven't acquired any new information, sir," she replied. "Until tonight, that is. I've discovered something interesting tonight."

"Do tell," I said.

"Tonight's the hatchday of one of the clan," she said. "A young female with light yellow skin and pink hair. They call her Gold."

"Gold?" I repeated, "That is interesting. Is there more to her name?"

"I don't know," she said, "That's just what they call her. I can probably find out if I need to."

"I think you should," I said. "Shift your attention to her. Learn what you can of her, and report to me with anything you find."

"You think she might be the one, Your Excellency?" she asked.

"Given that this night is her hatchday," I replied, "That alone is enough to raise my attention. There is only one way to know for certain if she is the one. You know what to do."

"Yes sir," she said, "But what about the Professor?"

"For now, she is no longer your focus," I said, "If this other female is the one we are searching for, then we will have no need to discover the Professor's secrets. If this female truly is the Missing Piece to my puzzle, then the Professor can take her secrets to the grave when we kill the rest of the clan to take our prize."

"Not to question your methods, sir," she said, "But will it be necessary to kill all of them? I mean, the only reason we've been killing the clans was to find this one gargoyle. If we've found her, then there shouldn't be a reason to kill the clan."

"Do I detect a tone of concern?" I asked, "Blackarachnia, you know your job, and you know very well the consequences if you do not come through for me."

"Of course, sir," she said, "You're the Prime Ruler. My apologies. I'll keep you posted on anything I find."

"I look forward to your next report," I replied as I raised my hand to terminate the transmission.

"And sir?" she said.

"Yes, Blackarachnia?" I replied.

"Happy Birthday, Sir," she said.

"Hm," I chuckled, a smirk growing across my lips, "Good night, Blackarachnia."

And with that, I switched the transmission off, and ended our communication.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Silverbolt)

"The Prime Ruler?!" I thought to myself, eyes wide with shock.

I was inside the stairway door, listening to Blackarachnia on the roof with apparently the Prime Ruler.

"How is this possible?" I wondered in thought, "She is a gargoyle. Why would she work against her own people? There must be an explanation for all of this."

I began to step back down the stairs and back to the apartment, quickly and quietly so she wouldn't know I was ever there. I tried to think of a way to bring this to everyone's attention, but I knew that if I even mentioned such a thing, suspicions might heighten to aggression. And this was the last thing I wanted for any of us, especially in our own home.

"I have to find out what exactly is going on," I thought, "Before something terrible happens."


	25. Chapter 24: To All A Good Night

Gold Demona

**Chapter XXIV**

To All A Good Night

(Gold Demona)

(Couple weeks later...)(December 24, 2110 A.D.)

It was the morning of Christmas Eve, and as it always was this time of year, it was a very busy morning. Everyone was out and about, doing their last minute shopping for Christmas. Even the shady folk of Olive Branch Trail were busy at work today. I did my best to ignore them as I made my way to the Universal Pawn Broker.

I walked in and found the weird-looking man at the counter.

"Good morning, Miss," he greeting with a sloppy lisp, looking at me with his lazy-eyed gaze. "What can I do for you today?"

"I came here looking for a gun," I said.

"Well, I wasn't expectin' that," he said, "Nice-lookin' girls like you usually look for jewelry, not guns."

"It's for my boyfriend, actually," I said.

"Your boyfriend, you say?" he repeated as he reached down under the counter. "Again, not the usual item on the Christmas shopping list."

"Well, he sold it here a couple months ago," I said, "I wanna see about buying it back for him."

"I see," he said as he started pulling boxes out to the counter. "You know what it looks like?"

"Well, I don't remember the exact model," I said, "It's an old revolver, and really big for a handgun. I probably couldn't wield it. It's dark gray in color with a dark brown handle. I think it was from the late twentieth century."

He froze for a moment and stared at me, although it looked to me like he was staring off in two other directions.

"Yer not talking about Jigen's gun, are you?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at me.

"How do you know Jigen?" I asked.

"JIGEN'S your boyfriend?" he asked, his face twisting into a shocked expression. "Ya gotta be kiddin' me! That guy HATES females."

"No, I'm not kidding!" I replied, annoyed that he didn't answer my question, "How do you know Jigen?"

"My place is where he buys all his cigarettes and ammo," he answered, "Or at least it was until he sold me his gun. He must be getting his cigarettes somewhere else, cuz I haven't seen him since."

"He must be," I said, "Because he still smokes like a chimney."

"Damn," he said, "It was that hard on 'im that he won't come back."

"Well, do you still have it?" I asked. "The gun, I mean?"

"Wish I could say I did, but I don't," he said, "If you'da been here two days earlier, ya might've caught it."

"You sold it?" I asked.

"Yeah," he said, "One of my better clients picked it up at my New York location. Paid triple what I was askin' for it. Sorry I can't help you more."

"That's alright," I said, "I probably didn't have enough for it anyway. Thanks anyway."

I turned around and started walking to the door.

"He sold it for you, didn't he?" he asked. "That money was for you."

I looked back at him, not sure what to say. Because what he said was true.

"I knew it," he said, "He said I wouldn't get it when he said he found somethin' worth more than his gun, but it's the only thing that makes sense."

I turned around again, and continued to the door.

"Hey, when you see Jigen," he said, stopping me again, "Tell 'im his gun's gonna be in good hands. REALLY good hands."

I nodded and walked out the door, and with that I made my way home.

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(Later...)

"Oh well," I thought as I opened the front door and walked in, "At least I tried."

As I walked in the door, I noticed Vaala hunched over by the Christmas tree.

"What're you doing?" I asked and walked over to her.

"Trying to get this thing set in here so it's out of the way," she answered.

Then I noticed a rather large package between her and the tree.

"And where did that come from?" I asked.

"It came in the mail while you were out," she said. "Grandpa sent it."

"I thought he said he couldn't get anything to us," I said as I sat down on the couch and watched her fiddle with it some more.

"Well, apparently he managed to get this to us," she said.

"What do you think is in it?" I asked.

"Hell, I dunno," she said.

"Well, why don't you open it?" I asked. "Instead of trying to cram it into the tree? It's not like it's addressed to Mac, is it?"

"Well no," she said and pulled the box back to look at the label. "It's addressed to me and you. And it doesn't have any other instructions."

"Well, then let's open it," I said as I picked up a pair of scissors that were lying on the coffee table.

She grabbed the scissors from my hand and cut the packing tape off. She opened the lid. The box was filled to the top with packing peanuts, and lying right ontop was a note. Vaala picked it up and started reading it.

"Dear Vaala and Gold," she read out loud, "I just wanted you both to know that I'm really proud of everything the two of you have accomplished so far. So I sent you a little something to brighten your Christmas mood. And I'm sure your friends will like their gifts as well. Keep up the good work. Signed, Grandpa Alex. P.S. Tell everyone I said hello and Merry Christmas."

"What?" I replied, "Our friends? Everyone? How does he know there's more than just you, me, and Mac?"

"He just knows," she said, "That's just how he is. Sometimes I wonder if he knows everything."

Then we both looked down and saw what looked like the end of a large bone sticking up through the packing peanuts. Vaala reached for it and pulled it out, sending lots of packing peanuts flying into the air. After they drifted back down, we realized that it actually was a bone. A very abnormally large bone. And tied to it was a card labeled 'Krypto'.

"Maybe he does," I said. "What else is in there?"

I jumped down and helped her dig through the packing peanuts. When we were done, we ended up with ten items all together. Except for the bone, each little package was neatly wrapped in fancy wrapping paper and topped with a bow and a card with a name written on it. It seemed there was a gift for everyone, even Blackarachnia.

"How does he even KNOW about all of them?" I asked. "Let alone know enough about them to know what to get them? Do I even WANT to know how he knows all their names?"

"I've learned not to ask how he knows what he knows," Vaala replied. "Wow, we made a mess."

I looked around and noticed that nearly the entire living room was covered in packing peanuts.

"Okay," I said slowly as we both stared at the mess around us. "Do we have enough time to clean all this up AND go Christmas shopping?"

"With the incredibly insane lines we're gonna have to face?" she replied, "Probably not."

"So do we ditch shopping?" I asked, "Or do we leave the mess?"

"Are you kidding me?" she replied, "We need to get all the ingredients for the feast we're making. That alone will take forever."

"And since it's confirmed that I can't buy Jigen's gun back," I added, "We can use the money from that to buy better quality ingredients. And maybe we can stop at the mall and pick up a few things on the way back."

"If we're gonna do that," she replied, "Then we'll definitely have to leave the mess. I'm pretty sure nobody else will care about a bunch of packing peanuts."

"Except Boober," I pointed out.

"True," she said and started walking to her room, "But then, if he's that bothered by it, HE can pick it all up. Cuz we don't have the time for it."

"Right," I said as I went over to my room. "So I say we should get started on it now if we have any chance of finishing our shopping by sunset."

"My thoughts exactly," she replied as she walked out with a thick coat, scarf and hat. "So let's get going."

I laughed as I continued into my room and grabbed my jacket, scarf, and gloves.

"It's a good thing I stuffed that money into our account yesterday," I said as I walked out of my room, "Because it would've been a pain in the butt lugging that metal briefcase around."

"Not to mention dangerous," she replied as we made our way out the door. "At least it's good to know we won't have to worry about our budget for a while."

"Yeah," I agreed, "No kidding."

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(Later that night...)

(Vaala)

The entire apartment was filled with a weird and happy energy. The kind of energy that filled everything on Christmas Eve. There were all sorts of food laid out on the table in the penthouse dining room. Three kinds of pasta dishes, a ham with a few slices already cut out of it, five different kinds of pies, and one huge turkey, plus one more still in the oven.

I'd just laid the first turkey down on the table with the rest of the food when Markl started tugging on my apron.

"Vaala! Vaala! Vaala!" he called in a hyper exciting voice, "Can I please please PLEASE open my present from your grandpa? PLEASE?!"

"Markl, chill out," I laughed as I turned around to see him better. "We're opening presents after dinner. You can wait until then, can't you?"

"Awww..." he whined, "I suppose so."

"Good boy," I replied as I patted him on the head with my still oven-mitted hand.

"Why are you so excited about my grandpa's present, anyway?" I asked. "It's not like you don't have presents from other people, too, ya know."

"I know," he said, "But everybody got something different from him, even Blackarachnia. I really wanna know what I got."

"Believe me, ALL of us are curious as to what he got us," I said as I took the oven mitts off and started walking out of the dining room. "The rest of us have to wait until after dinner. So can you."

"Alright," he said and followed me out.

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(Gold Demona)

"It's so beautiful out here," I said.

"Yeah," Jigen agreed, "But not nearly as beautiful as you."

We were out on the roof, watching the snowfall as we looked over the city. I had my jacket and scarf on and my wings draped over my shoulders like a cape, while Jigen had his jacket closed around me and his wings wrapped around ontop of that. I had my back to him so we could both look in the same direction.

"Are you sure you haven't had enough of this cold?" he asked. "I can feel you still shivering under all that."

"No," I said, "I wanna stay out here."

"Why?" he asked, "It's just snow. Nothing really special about it."

"I know," I replied, "But growing up in Los Angeles, I never got to see any snow. The closest thing we had to it was maybe one day out of the whole year where it would snow for a just few minutes. Just enough for everyone to stop and stare at it. A few minutes of faint and barely visible flakes. And then just like that, it was over. It was never anything like this."

"Hmm," he replied, "You've never been anywhere other than here and your orphanage, have you?"

"No," I answered, "Before coming here, the closest thing I ever had to any kind of travel was any time they'd have a show on TV about interesting places to visit. I've wondered to myself if I would ever get the chance to really see these interesting places for myself. To see the world through my own eyes."

He held me closer as I finished saying all that.

"You'll see it," he said. "I'll take you there."

"What?" I chuckled.

"Whenever this whole thing here is finally over," he said, "I'll show you the world. I know where all the really interesting places are. Places you won't see on any TV show. We'll go everywhere. America, Asia, Europe. It'll all be yours to see. We'll see what there is to see, eat the local cuisine."

"Dodge the authorities," I added, raising a brow at him, "You're a nationally wanted criminal, remember?"

"Kinda hard to forget," he said, "I know how to keep under the radar. You don't have to worry about that. Only cop we'd have to worry about is ol' Pops, and he'd be too busy tracking Lupin down to worry about me."

"Right," I replied as he adjusted his embrace on me.

"Hell, I'd frickin' GIVE you the world if I could do it," he said. "You know I would."

"Yeah," I said, just enjoying the moment, "I know."

"Gold, you mean more to me than anything," he said, "If you want to see the world, then I'll take you to see the world. When this is all over, come Hell or high water, I'm gonna show you the world."

"Jigen," I said, leaning my head back to his chest.

I heard the door open behind us. We both turned to see who it was. Vaala stepped out from behind the door.

"Whoops, sorry for interrupting," she said as she walked up to us. "But the first turkey is done. If you want, we can get started on dinner now so we can get to the presents quicker."

"That sounds good to me," I replied and looked up at Jigen, "How about you?"

"Food sounds good," he said as he unwrapped his wings and unbuttoned his jacket to free me.

We turned and followed Vaala back to the apartment.

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(Boober)

"This is ridiculous," I thought as I moved two feet forward, "I should've known better than to go shopping on Christmas Eve."

I was in line at the cash register, waiting for my turn to pay for the Christmas present I was planning to buy for Red. The line was incredibly slow. I was only two people away from my turn at the register, but I didn't have much time left. If I wasn't out of the store in the next fifteen minutes, I would've had to leave the item and go home.

Gold and Vaala had allowed me some cash to spend. I didn't ask for it. They just gave it to me, telling me that since I took part in some of the earnings, I should have some money to buy Red a nice present. I couldn't argue with that. There wasn't anything I would've liked more than to give Red something nice for Christmas, but with every second I waited in that line, the further away it seemed for that to happen.

At the front of the line was a man buying an entire cart full of items, many of which were toys. The look on his face was more of annoyance than joy, and grew more annoyed with each item scanned as the total went higher and higher. It made me wonder if there was any joy left in this holiday, especially for those of us who can't show our true faces in public.

It seemed society had completely forgotten what Christmas was all about, myself included, and now we had to somehow figure it out for ourselves. So far, the only purpose I could see for this holiday was for people to wait in lines for hours to buy each other gifts that they may or may not like.

Waiting second in line, right in front of me, was a small boy, probably no older than six or seven. His clothes were worn and ragged, and he was filthy. I kept a fair distance while still keeping my place in line. He fussed around a lot, as small boys tended to do. It seemed like getting to that register was the most important thing in the world to him. As he paced around in his spot, I noticed that he was holding two items. In one arm, he had a large jar of pennies. In the other arm, he had a shoebox, inside of which was a pair of nice-looking women's dress shoes.

"Odd," I thought, looking at the shoes, and then at the pennies. "Ugh, those pennies are gonna take forever to count."

The man in front finally finished his order, paying for his items and leaving. The boy leapt up to the counter and placed the shoes at the register.

"Sir, I wanna buy these shoes," he said to the cashier as he lifted the jar up to the counter, "For my mama, please. It's Christmas Eve, and these shoes are just her size."

"Alright, little man," the cashier said as he started ringing up the shoes.

"If you could, sir," the boy said, "Could you please hurry? Daddy says there's not much time."

This had both the cashier's head and mine tilted in confusion. All of us were in a hurry to get out, but it seemed strange that this boy would want him to hurry just because his father said so.

"Not much time for what, son?" the cashier asked.

"Well you see, sir," he said, "She's been sick for a long time, and I know these shoes are gonna make her real happy, and I want her to look beautiful if Mama meets Jesus tonight."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. The cashier could only nod and pour the pennies out of the jar to count them. The counting went on for what seemed like years, but when it was finally finished, the cashier had a pained look on his face. I knew that couldn't be a good sign.

"Son, I'm really sorry," he said, "But there's not enough here."

The boy was on the verge of tears. He started to panic, searching his tattered pockets. He spun around trying to find something on him. He wound up looking up at me. The look on his face was mortifying.

"Mama made Christmas good at our house," he sobbed, "And most of the time, she never got anything. What am I gonna do? Somehow I gotta buy her these Christmas shoes."

I couldn't stand it anymore. I reached into my pocket and pulled out the cash Gold and Vaala had given to me. It was just enough to complete the total for those shoes.

The boy looked right at me, his face lit brighter than a Christmas tree. I smiled down at him and nodded at the cashier to finish the order. He rung the cash, bagged the shoes, and handed the bag to the boy.

He was jittering with joy, hopping up and down for a moment just before running over and hugging me.

"Thank you, mister!" he said, "Mama's gonna look so great! Thank you! Merry Christmas!"

And with that, he took his bag and ran out the store.

"You ready?" the cashier asked me as I turned back to him.

I looked down at the item in my talon, and then back to the cashier. I placed it down on the counter between us.

"I've changed my mind about this one," I said, "I don't think I want it anymore."

"Don't have enough for it anymore, huh?" the cashier chuckled.

"No, I don't," I chuckled back. "Although I don't think she would've liked it anyway."

"Alright then," he replied and took the item behind the counter. "Have a Merry Christmas."

"Thank you," I said and began to walk away, "Merry Christmas."

I walked out of the store and looked up to the sky. The snow was drifting down. I could feel a lot of the flakes landing on my beak as my head was pointed up. I watched the falling snow, and I smiled.

"That was it," I thought, "That's what Christmas is all about."

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(Vaala)

"That turkey looks really good," Gold said as I pulled the second turkey out of the oven, "Almost looks better than the first one."

"That's only because this one's fresh from the oven," I replied.

"I guess so," she said and pulled a big pile of plates out of the cabinet.

The front door opened and Boober walked in.

"Hey, you're just in time," Gold greeted as he shut the door behind him. "Everyone else is already gathered in the dining room for the dinner."

"It looks good," he commented. "I'll go join everyone else."

"I take it you didn't find anything for Red?" Vaala asked.

"No, I found some things," he said, "But then something else happened that was more important. I'll tell you about it at dinner."

"Alright," Gold replied and handed Boober the pile of plates, "Take these over there for me, will ya?"

"Sure," he replied and disappeared into the penthouse.

"What could possibly be so important that he couldn't buy anything for Red?" Gold asked as she pulled out the napkins and silverware.

"I guess we'll find out, won't we?" I replied as we made out way to the dining room.

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(Blackarachnia)

"That's really something, Boober," Vaala said as Boober finished talking about some little boy and a pair of shoes.

Everyone was sitting at the table, eating from all the different things there were.

"I think it's really cool," Markl said, "That he did something so nice for that boy."

"I'm sure that kid's mom will really enjoy those shoes," Gold added.

"An admirable act indeed," Silverbolt said.

"Agrid," Mac said, "Ah knoo Ah would've dohn tha sehm theng."

I couldn't understand a word of that, but I'd stopped caring about that after she stopped being a priority. The conversation was droning. We were already mostly done eating, but everyone seemed to want to keep talking. I just couldn't understand why it was so interesting that Boober helped some kid buy his mother a pair of shoes?

"Seriously," Red added, "For once, I'm actually proud of you, Boober. That kid's mom might die at any given moment. It's awesome that he was able to give something to her for Christmas."

"How do you know that was his actual intent?" I asked, "How do you know that this kid wasn't just scamming you to buy those shoes for him? Playing at your heart strings with some sappy sob story?"

"If you'd have seen this boy up close, you wouldn't be saying that," Boober said, looking right at me.

"Even I'd like to think people in this country are better than that," Jigen said, "Even if they ARE out to kill us."

"Yeah, that's just depressing," Vaala added. "I think now would be a good time to get to the presents."

"Good idea," Gold replied as she got up from her chair.

"Alright! Presents!" Markl yelled and jumped out of his chair.

We all got up one by one and headed over to the living room.

"And they wonder why I don't talk very often," I thought to myself.

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(Gold Demona)

Aside from the presents from Alex Xanatos, there weren't really a lot under that tree. We had a really hard time trying to find things anyone would like, especially since we waited until Christmas Eve to do the shopping. We ended up just buying a couple of magic toys for Markl.

Everyone was sitting around the living room, each with the presents labeled for them in their talons. I sat on the couch with Jigen to one side of me and Vaala on the other. Silverbolt and Blackarachnia sat furthest from the tree. Markl sat right next to the tree, with his presents from us already opened and his still wrapped present from Alex in his talons. Mac sat on the arm of the couch nearest to the tree. Krypto was lying down under the tree, already chewing on his gigantic bone.

"Well, now we know to do our shopping WEEKS in advance," I whispered to Vaala, who was right next to me.

"Yeah, no kidding," she whispered back, "I kinda feel bad that everybody's just getting presents from my grandpa."

"Well, at least they're getting presents at all."

"True."

"Hey Vaala," Markl called and knocked us out of our whispering, "Since these are from your grandpa, why don't you go first?"

"Okay," she replied and held up the card that was attached to her present.

She cleared her throat and started reading the note on the card.

"My Little Vaala," she read out loud, "Your real gift is on its way. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this first addition to your new plushie collection."

A smile perked up on her face as she tore through the packaging and pulled out a plush doll of something that looked like a pale blue vampire with red, black and gold armor, a white cape, and white hair tied back in a ponytail sticking out from the top of his head.

"OH MY GOD, IT'S SOOOOOOOO CUTE!" she squealed as she hugged the plush doll in her arms.

"Uh, who is that supposed to be?" I asked.

"Only the king of the third race," she said as she held it up for everyone to see, "Behold the mighty Lord Obiwan!"

"Uh, isn't it Oberon?" Boober replied.

"Well yeah," Vaala answered, "But that's what I used to call him as a kid. So who's next?"

"I'll go," I said as I picked my card up and read it.

"Dear Gold," I read out loud, "I've been keeping your mothers up to date on your progress, and they want you to know that they are very proud of you. They sent this with their best wishes so that you'd always remember them, although even without it, they're kinda hard to forget."

"No kidding," I said in response as I opened the package.

Inside was a thick binder, with the words "Happy Memories at the Happy Lesson" labeled on the front cover. I opened it and discovered that it was actually a photo album.

"Oh my God, Gold!" Vaala squealed, pointing to one of the pictures, "Is that YOU in that picture?"

"Has to be," Jigen replied, "She's the only one with yellow skin and pink hair."

The picture she was pointing at was one with me and four other kids at the orphanage, three humans and a gargoyle. I was only six years old in that picture.

"Yeah," I laughed out of embarrassment. "That's me."

"And are those your moms?" Vaala asked.

The picture next to my childhood photo showed the five human women who ran the orphanage: the five Mamas of the Happy Lesson Orphanage. My mothers. I remembered all the crazy times I had there, and the friends I missed so very much.

"Yeah," I said and then shut the binder, "But I think my trip down memory lane can wait until everyone else's presents are opened. Who'll take the next turn?"

"Ah'll go," Mac said, "Ahnd Ah alridy knoo whot eht es."

"Oh?" Vaala replied, "How?"

"Ta mah frind, tha Prafissar," she read from her card, "Here's ta one moore year ohf our lohng-lahstin frindshep. Bohttoms ohp."

She opened the package and pulled out a bottle of some kind of liquor. If I had to guess, I'd say it was scotch.

"Scotch?" Jigen commented, "But you HAVE scotch."

"Eht's a bet ohf a jooke gooin' betwen ohs," she explained as she put the bottle down, "He sinds meh a defferint bottle of scohtch evry year ta try ahnd find one bittar than mine. Ohf carse, heh's yit ta succid ohn thaht."

"Ooh! Ooh! Ooh! Me next! Me next!" Markl said as he yanked his card off of his present.

"To young Markl," he read, "I'm sure you're probably feeling pretty stuck doing the same tricks over and over again, and I'm willing to bet your old master would want you to progress in your studies and training. I hope this will help you do just that."

He opened his present, and inside was a large thick book. With a puzzled look on his face, he opened it up and started flipping through the pages. And with every page he turned, the look on his face got a little happier until he was bouncing with excitement.

"This is a book of spells," he said, "My very own book of spells! And look at this! There's even some blank pages in the back so I can put my own spells in here!"

I smiled as I watched Markl thumbing through his new book, his attention completely focused on it.

"I guess I'll go next," Red said and opened her card.

"To the lovely and talented Red," she read out loud and nodded in agreement, "Your band is definitely a lively bunch of characters. They send their best wishes to both you and Boober, as well as their latest completed project. They miss you both and hope for your safe return to the free world."

"Their latest completed project?" Boober repeated.

She opened the wrapping and pulled out a music disk labeled "Fraggle Rock: Escape From New Liberty".

"Holy crap, they finished it," she said and looked at the back, "Boober, we so have to listen to this later."

"Definitely," he said and took off the card that was on his present.

"Boober," he read, "I'm sure you've been needing this for quite some time now, and I know how picky you are about this sort of thing. So I made sure to only get you the very best."

He opened it and pulled out a box that contained a professional grade hair-dying kit.

"Oh thank goodness," he sighed, "Now I can stop my hair from turning black. He even got it in the shade I really like."

"Hey, what's wrong with our black hair?" Jigen protested.

"Well nothing," he said, "I just don't want my hair to be black."

"Mm-hmm," Jigen replied.

"Yours is pretty big, Silver," I pointed out, "Why don't you go next?"

He nodded in agreement. He pulled out his reading glasses and put them on his canine nose so he could read his card.

"To the brave and noble Silverbolt," he read, "I'm sure times have been most difficult for you as of late, and I'm sure right now you don't feel like you're able to do much. Enclosed is a little something to help you with that. It'll help you hone those fighting skills your father taught you. You never know when these skills might come in handy."

With a confused look on his face, he put his glasses away and unwrapped his present. He opened the box inside and pulled out what looked like a sword, except the blade was somewhat rounded and kind of resembled a feather.

"Magnificent," he said as he held that sword in one talon and pulled out an identical one in his other talon. "Vaala, your grandfather has remarkable taste in weaponry."

"Not really," she replied, "He just knows yours well enough to know what you would like."

"Yeah, but how does he KNOW all this?" Red asked. "We haven't been here long enough for him to know us THAT well, especially since he hasn't MET all of us."

"He has his ways," Vaala replied. "I can't really say how he does it. I just know he does. So who's next?"

"What did you get, Jigen?" Boober asked and pointed to the small box in Jigen's talons.

"Probably something smartassed," he replied, "I've actually have met the guy before on a couple of occasions. He and Lupin have some kind of history together."

He picked up his card and started reading it.

"Jigen, my friend," he started, "You really need to be more--"

He suddenly stopped reading, and his face went stiff as he read the rest of his card to himself. He tilted his head so his eyes were more visible. They were wide and blinking as he looked down at his gift.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Aw, hell no," he said, "It can't be."

"What?" Vaala asked, "Can't be what?"

He unwrapped the box and lifted the lid, but just enough so only he could see what was inside. Then he chuckled and closed it again, shaking his head.

"That son of a bitch!" he chuckled.

"What?" Boober asked, "What's in it?"

"Jigen, my friend," Jigen started reading the card again, "You really need to be more careful with your belongings. If Lupin hadn't tipped me off about this when he did, it would've wound up in the hands of one of New York's most dangerous drug runners. Lupin and Goemon send their best regards and ask that you please try not to lose this again."

"Wait," I said, "You don't mean...?"

He opened the box and pulled his gift out for everyone to see. And resting on his talon was the same dark gray revolver he'd sold at the pawnshop, his Smith & Wesson M19 Magnum.

"No way!" I said, not sure of what else to say.

"Hey, you got your gun back!" Markl

"Jigen, that is so awesome," Vaala said.

"What's so special about it?" Blackarachnia asked, "It's a gun."

"It's not just any gun," Jigen said as he twirled the gun on his claw and slipped it into the holster still attached to his belt behind him on his right side. "Man, it feels good to have some weight in there again."

"You've kept your holster on?" I asked, "This whole time?"

"Well, what else was I gonna do with it?" he replied, "Throw it out?"

"I suppose not," I replied.

"So now you're the only one left, Blackarachnia," Vaala said as we all turned to look at her.

"And what makes you think I want to take part in any of this?" she asked.

"Well, don't you want to find out what my grandpa gave you?" Vaala asked. "The rest of us got some really cool gifts from him."

She looked down at the gift in her talons. It was a wide, long, flat box, the kind of shape usually associated with clothing. She just sat there staring at it for a minute before finally picking up her card.

She didn't read it out loud. Instead, she just opened her present, lifted the lid on the box, and then shut it again. The look on her face was really not a happy one. It showed frustration and turmoil. She stood up from her spot on the floor, turned her cloaker on, and took her card and gift outside without saying a word to any of us.

"Well, that was really weird," Red said, "She acts like she's never gotten a Christmas gift before."

"Maybe she hasn't," Silverbolt replied as he got up and left behind Blackarachnia, leaving his swords on the floor.

"Just what is her deal anyway?" Red asked. "I mean she is majorly overkill on the weird factor."

"I wonder what grandpa gave her?" Vaala asked. "That would make her react like that?"

"I'd like to know what the hell it was he wrote in that card," Jigen said, "Cuz that look on her face appeared the second she started reading it."

"Ah'm sure sheh'll descloose thaht whin sheh dems tha time ehs right," Mac said as she got up from where she sat and walked over to the TV. "Markl, Ah hahve sohmthin' for ye ehn tha lab."

"You do?" he replied as he got up and followed her into the penthouse, carrying his large spellbook under his arm. Krypto just stayed where he was, chewing on his bone.

"Does anyone else find it odd that he stayed perfectly calm the whole time Blackarachnia was in here?" Jigen asked, pointing to Krypto.

"Hey, I didn't notice that," I replied, "You're right."

"And he didn't move when Markl got up and left," Boober added.

"I guess that bone must be THAT frickin' good," Red suggested, "If it's making him that oblivious to everything."

"Wait a second," Vaala said as she pulled the card from Krypto's bone and opened it. Krypto didn't seem to notice at all.

"Just for good measure," she read, "I placed a special charm on this bone to keep him calm and quiet for a while. As long as he chews on this bone, he won't notice anything that's going on, and he'll keep chewing on it until it's gone. I made sure to get the largest bone possible to keep the charm going the longest. Don't worry. As soon as he's done chewing it into nothing, he'll be back to normal. By then, things should probably be settled with Blackarachnia. Lot's of love and well wishes to everyone. Signed, Alexander Fox Xanatos."

"How the hell does he do that?" I asked.

"You know, Gold?" she replied, "I have no idea."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Mac)

I stepped into the lab and picked up a package I'd wrapped earlier in the evening. Markl ran in behind me, carrying his new book.

"Here, Markl," I said as I sat down on my chair and held the package out for him.

He placed his book down on the table and took the gift.

"This is for me?" he asked.

"Aye, it is," I said, "Open it."

He tore the paper and tossed it aside. He held the item firm in his talons and then he looked at me.

"But this is your chess set," he pointed out, seeming somewhat confused. "The one we play on."

"Aye, that is it," I said with a nod, "I want you to have it."

"Me?" he replied. "But you made this. Shouldn't you keep it?"

"I've kept it for several decades now," I said, "It's time I passed it down to younger talons."

He looked back down to the old wooden chess set in his talons. Slowly, he put it on the table beside his book and then leapt into me, wrapping his wee arms around my waist.

"I love you, Mac," he said with his face planted into my side.

I cracked a smile and placed an arm around him.

"I love you too," I replied, "Happy Christmas, Markl."

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(Blackarachnia)

"How does he know all this?" I thought to myself as I marched my way up to the roof and read the card again.

"Dear Blackarachnia," it said, "I know you're probably having a good bit of trouble fitting in with everyone else due to your particular circumstances as well as issues with your current employer. I'm sure it would make things a little easier for everyone, including yourself, if you looked a little less intimidating."

"This doesn't make any sense," I thought as I paced around outside, trying to figure things out.

I looked in the box again to make sure I knew what I'd seen. And just like the first ten times I looked, there was an entire outfit of designer clothes neatly folded inside the box.

"How would this make things easier for me?" I asked to no one in particular, thinking out loud. "This is just ridiculous. Why am I even debating to myself about this? What do I care what some old man gives me for Christmas? Why do I even care about any of this? Christmas isn't something for people like me. It's for normal people."

"Blackarachnia?" I heard Silverbolt call from the bottom of the stairs.

I rolled my eyes as I turned to see him walk through the door.

"What do you want?" I asked.

"I only wanted to find out if anything was the matter?" he answered.

"This is all just too weird for me," I said, "Christmas was never something I cared about. It was always just another day for me."

"Did you celebrate any holidays?"

"Of course not. Why are holidays so important for you people?"

"You can say that it gives us something better to look forward to than just another day," he said, "Or in the case of us gargoyles, an early death."

"Something better, huh?" I replied.

He nodded and smiled at me.

"There are many kinds of holidays that many kinds of people celebrate," he said, "Christmas is a time to celebrate being with one's family. We give each other gifts to show that we care for one another. Whatever it was that you received from Vaala's grandfather, he must've had your best interests at heart. At least that was the case with what he'd given to the rest of us."

"Tell me somethin', Jojo," I started, "Why do you care so much about whether or not I get along here?"

"I simply wish for us all to live in peace," he said, "In harmony. The best way for that to happen is for you to get along with everyone."

"But why do you care?" I repeated. "You can just mind your own business and not have to worry about me."

"I cannot," he said, "It's not my nature. I'm not at ease when there's tension amongst the clan. A trait I'm afraid followed me from when I led my previous clan."

"And acting as a leader should, you try to fix everything," I replied. "Not that it's quite that easy."

"It never is easy," he said as he turned and started walking away, "But it also is never impossible. I know that eventually, I will get through to you that I want what is best for everyone here. And that when I say 'everyone', I do include you."

I watched as he walked through the door and down the stairs.

"Finally," I thought to myself, "I thought he'd never leave."

I turned around and look over to the sea as a screen of snowfall tried to block my view.

"I need to avoid him as much as I can," I thought to myself, "He's distracting me from my mission with all that concern and attention he's giving me. I need to keep myself focused. If I'm not careful, I might end up actually liking him, and if that ever happens, I can kiss my life good-bye."


	26. Chapter 25: Strange Visits, Part I

Gold Demona

**Chapter XXV**

Strange Visits: Part I

(Mac)

(Few days later...)(December 31, 2110 A.D.)

"I just don't understand it," Silverbolt stated. "How could she be so cold towards her own people?"

He was lying down on my gurney as I sat on my chair, clipboard at my ready, taking note of every important detail of our conversation.

The last few weeks, I'd noticed that he seemed far more stressed than normal. He rarely smiled, even through Christmas. I feared it may have had something to do with Blackarachnia, and so I confronted him about it. He had admitted to me that he had been feeling a great deal of stress as of late and was willing to speak with me about it, although I was fairly certain he had more on his mind than what he was telling me.

"It is most likely due to her upbringing," I answered, "Whatever that may be. However, I get the feeling that this is not the topic that has your nerves in such a bind."

"It's not all of it," he admitted, "But it is a great deal of it."

"And what's the rest of it, then?" I asked. "If you wouldn't mind disclosing that minor detail."

"I would rather not," he said, "Not right now. At least not until things have calmed down here with everyone else. Perhaps once it gets to the point where Krypto can tolerate her without that bone."

"Very well, then," I said and took a few notes.

"It's strange," he said, "I don't normally go to this much trouble to get to know anyone. With my previous clan, I only closely knew about half of them. The rest were mere acquaintances I knew almost nothing about aside from their names."

I raised a brow to that.

"And with Blackarachnia," I began, "You feel the need to know everything. Is there a particular reason for it?"

"I don't know," he said, "For the past few months, I've been pursuing her to try to learn more about her, when in the past I'd given up on such ventures after the first week or so. I'm not sure why I've found her so interesting. I'm beginning to think there may be something wrong with me."

I smiled and placed my clipboard down on the table. I crossed my arms and legs and looked down to him.

"It would appear to me, Silver," I began, "That it's possible you may have simply been infused with an intense and ineffable sensation of emotional attachment to her."

"I beg your pardon?" he replied in confusion as he lifted himself around to look at me.

"In other words," I said, "I think you might have taken a fancy to the lass."

"Are you saying I may be in love with her?"

"I'm not saying it as certain thing," I said, "You are the only one who can know what you feel. I'm simply giving to you my opinion based on what I see before me."

"I highly doubt that's the case," he said as he sat himself up, "And even if it was, it is not likely to change the situation. She's not likely to change her ways just for the way I feel about her."

"You never know, Silver," I said, "A small confession can go a long way. Just take a look at Jigen. He was perfectly fine with the life he was leading until Gold stepped in and admitted her feelings for him."

"Yes, but this is far different," he said as he stood up from the gurney, "Even if I did feel that way for her, there is no way it would ever work between us."

"Just think about it for a wee bit," I said, "I know you can find the correct path to follow. Just go with what you think is best."

"I will," he nodded and began to walk towards the door, "Thank you, Mac."

"A pleasure, Silver," I replied and returned the nod.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Markl)

For the last few nights, from just after sunset to just before sunrise, I've spent my time up on the roof, reading my new spell book. Since my cloak was made by magic and not a cloaker, I could stay as long as I wanted, so long as I got back inside before sunrise.

This book had so much I wanted to try. There were spells for making light, for blocking light, for short distance teleporting, for making things bigger or smaller, for turning things into other things like stone, wood, or metal. I just couldn't decide what I wanted to try first. So I'd decided instead to just look at everything and try out my favorites. So far I'd gotten halfway through the book and I haven't seen a spell I didn't like yet.

In the back of the book, on the first blank pages, I'd already written down my cloak spell and my sensor blocking charm. It wasn't a lot, but it was a start.

"There're so many spells in here," I said as I flipped to the next page, "How will I know what to start with?"

Just when I was starting to read what was on that page, a flash of bright white exploded in front of me.

"What in the--?" I said, "I didn't even do anything yet."

I put my book down, and then I got up and walked over to it to try and see what was going on. It shined really bright, except for a big dark spot right in the middle, and it got bigger until it was shaped like a human.

"Hello?" I said to the dark shape, "Who are you?"

It didn't say anything, but it knelt down and I could see a pair of hands come out from the shining light, carrying a small creature and putting it down on the floor in front of me.

I looked up and I could see the human's face, though not very clearly. He was kind of old, with a moustache and goatee, and his hair was tied back in a ponytail. He looked up at me and smiled.

"Do me a favor and take care of him for a little while," he said with a wink and then disappeared back into the light.

"Hey, wait!" I called just as the light flickered away, leaving me alone with the little creature, who was looking around scared.

It was no bigger than a house cat. It had white fur, golden yellow hooves, a white tail, pinkish red hair, and a small white horn on his head.

"A baby unicorn?" I wondered out loud.

"What's going on?" It asked. "Where am I?"

"You can talk?" I asked.

He just sat there, shaking and looking around. He whined for a little bit and then started crying.

"I'm scared!" he screamed and laid down with his front hooves over his head.

"Hey, come on," I said as I knelt down to him and started petting his head. "You don't have to be scared. What happened?"

"H-he...he's angry with me," he cried.

"Who's angry with you?" I asked.

"Lord Oberon," he said, "He... He's angry because I want to use my powers to help people and make them happy. I don't understand. Why is that so wrong?"

"There's nothing wrong with that," I said and picked him up, "I'm sure there's a reason for all this. What's your name?"

He sniffed and looked up at me.

"My name is Unico," he said, "What's yours?"

"Markl."

He used one of his front legs to wipe the tears off his face. Then he looked back up and smiled at me.

"Does this mean we're friends, Markl?" he asked.

"I guess it does," I said as I picked up my book and started walking back to the apartment.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Blackarachnia)

"The boss is startin' ta worry about you, Sugar," Quickstrike said to me. "You haven't been checkin' in lately."

We were in an alley close to a bus stop somewhere in the city, at least an hour's walk away from the apartment.

"It's become more difficult to find a time to myself," I replied, "They keep trying to make me part of their little clan, and one in particular seems to like pestering me about it. And he's really persistent about it, too."

"And what about that female yer supposed to be lookin' at?" he asked, "Ya haven't given any more word on 'er since you were reassigned to 'er."

"Like I said," I replied, "It's gotten harder to get that kind of alone time."

"Sounds like bullshit to me," he said as he narrowed his eyes and leaned closer to me, "Them clothes yer wearin' are new. You ain't got no new information, and you ain't been checkin' in to the boss. If I didn't know no better, I'd reckon you was gettin' attached to these monsters."

"Don't be stupid," I retorted, "I'm wearing these clothes because they were given to me, and wearing them lessens the chances of anyone suspecting me. It's not like I actually LIKE wearing them."

"Right," he said, though I could tell from his tone that he didn't believe me, "Just be careful what yer doin', Sugar. You was supposed to've been done with this job a long time ago. And my trigger finger's still itchy."

"You don't think I know that?" I replied, "I'm not stupid. Don't worry. I'll get it done. Just give me more time."

"You know what?" he said, "I'm actually startin' ta think it's not the clan yer gettin' attached to, but just one of 'em."

"What?"

"I mean that one ya say's pesterin' you all the time," he said, "I reckon he's more than just a pest."

"Get to the point, Quickstrike. What are you getting at?"

"I suggest you be real careful around that clan, Sugar," he said as he turned and started walking away, "You know how the boss is. He don't tolerate people bringin' him bad news, especially news on traitors."

"I will NOT betray the Prime Ruler," I yelled to him as he kept walking away. "You're thinking too much, Quickstrike! Stick to shooting things! That's what you're good at! Leave the thinking to the ones with brains!"

Frustrated, I stuck my talons in my pockets and started on my way back to the apartment.

"Idiot," I thought as I walked, "I'll show him that I'm no traitor."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Gold Demona)

"Twenty minutes until New Year's!" Red announced, looking at the timer on the TV screen.

There were less than twenty minutes left on the clock before the start of the New Year. Boober and Red sat on the couch watching the TV. Jigen watched from where he stood behind the couch. Vaala and I were in the kitchen getting food and drinks for everyone.

We got everything and walked back to the living room. Vaala set the bowls of chips and pretzels down on the coffee table, and I handed everyone their drinks. Everyone had soda except for Jigen and Boober. Jigen had a bottle of beer, and Boober had a glass of water. I walked over to Jigen and handed him his beer as Vaala sat down at the one end of the couch.

"Honestly, Boober," Red huffed and rolled her eyes, "Water?"

"Water's better for you than soda," he said and then turned to Jigen, "And certainly better for you than beer."

"And I can guarantee that this is better for you than the scotch Mac's drinking," Jigen replied and drank his beer.

"That's not the point," Boober retorted.

"Then what is?" Jigen replied, "If yer gonna rag on someone about their drinking habits, nail it all on Mac."

"Well, I would," Boober said in a quieter tone, "Except she scares me somewhat."

"Don't tell me you're still not over that time she yanked on your ear?" Red asked.

"Yeah, I'm over that," he said, "But it gave me a very vivid example of what her temper is like, and I'd just rather not mess with it."

"And to think I'm related to you," Jigen replied.

Our conversation was interrupted when the TV swung open and Silverbolt stepped out from behind it.

"Hey, Silver," Vaala greeted, "How'd your therapy session go?"

"It was interesting," he said as he shut the TV behind him. "And I think I'll leave it at that."

"Well, sit down and join us," I said, "It's almost New Year's."

"I'd love to," he said as he walked past the TV and over to the front door, "But I need to find Blackarachnia."

He opened the door and Markl jumped in through it.

"Hey, everybody!" he yelled as he ran straight to the living room, "Check this out! I found him on the roof!"

We all looked at the thing he was carrying in his arms that looked very much like a baby unicorn.

"Hello, everyone!" The unicorn greeted, "My name is Unico."

"Aw, he's so cute!" Vaala said.

"Where'd you get him?" I asked.

"Did your magic bring him here, Markl?" Silverbolt asked while still holding the front door open.

"No, I didn't do anything," Markl answered, "I was just looking through my book when this light came out of nowhere and this human reached out and left him here. The human told me to take care of him."

"And where did you come from, Sweety?" Vaala asked the little unicorn.

"I came from Avalon," the unicorn answered.

"Avalon?" Vaala replied, "So you're one of the third race?"

"Uh-huh," he replied. "That's right."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Unico," Silverbolt said, "But I really must be going."

"You sure you don't want to stay for the New Year's countdown?" Vaala asked.

He stepped out and shut the door behind him. Markl sat down on the couch, sitting Unico down on his lap.

"I guess not," I replied.

"Hey, where's Mac?" Markl asked.

"Yeah," I agreed, "Why isn't she here?"

"She said she'd rather start the New Year in the lab," Vaala answered, "She was saying something about not breaking an old widow's tradition."

"She's a widow?" Red asked.

"Apparently," Vaala answered.

"I didn't know she was married," I said.

"I didn't know super nerds like her could keep a guy long enough to GET married," Red added.

"And with a temper like hers?" Boober added, "Who could endure that?"

"I knew that she was married," Markl said, "She told me her husband died a long time ago, when she was still pretty young."

"That's sad," I said.

"Died?" Unico repeated, "What that?"

The rest of us stared, eyes widened at Unico.

"You don't know what death is?" Red asked.

"Uh-uh," Unico replied, shaking his round unicorn head, "What is it?"

"Well, it's uh..." Vaala started.

"It's when uh..." I started.

"When something dies, it means they're not alive anymore," Jigen said.

"Not alive?" Unico replied, puzzled, "I don't understand."

"You wouldn't," Jigen replied, "You're immortal. You can't die. Death just isn't something you fey have to deal with. Humans and gargoyles don't get to live forever like you do. Once we die, we're gone forever. That's it."

"Gone?" Unico said, "Forever? But that's terrible! How can such a thing be allowed to happen?"

"That's just how things work in this world," I said, "Things are born, they live, and then they die."

"And if you're a gargoyle in this country," Red added, "It's even easier to die."

"Ugh, don't remind me," Boober replied, "I have to think about that enough every night I go to work, worrying that I might eventually be discovered."

"You knew the risk when you took the job, Boober," Red retorted.

"It doesn't stop me from worrying," Boober replied. "With how hateful these humans are, it's very difficult not to worry about death."

"It would make things a lot easier if we didn't have to hide all the time," Jigen said. "Me, I'm used to hiding from the law, but not the whole population like we do now. It really wears on you after a while."

"No kidding," Red agreed, "Haven't had a good glide in I don't know how long."

"Me neither," I replied. "I'm beginning to wonder if we'll ever be done here."

"Me too," Vaala replied. "If we were done, we could just be ourselves and not have to worry so much about dying."

"I wish we didn't have to hide," Markl said, "Then we could just be together and happy, like a clan should be."

"Together and happy," Unico repeated.

"Ten... Nine..." The TV chanted.

"Let's hope this next year ends better than this one did," I said.

"We can always hope," Vaala replied.

"Three..." The TV continued, "Two... One..."

We were about to yell our "Happy New Years" when a blinding white light completely filled the room and knocked me backwards onto the floor.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Mac)

"Initializing... Audio recording HNY-2U," the computer announced in text on the screen as I drank from my glass of scotch.

The screen was blank except for a small spot at the center, distorting with the audio from the sound file that was playing.

"Hello, Marcia," greeted the young American male voice in the recording. "How's your evening going?"

"Hello, Allen," I greeted back, even though I knew it was only a recording, and thus unable to respond.

Allen Usher was a young male in the American military. He was the only person, aside from my parents, who ever called me by my given name, Marcia. He was in Scotland on holiday when we first met, ever so long ago. We courted for a time, and then found ourselves married.

It was almost sixty years since his death, but I could still see his face as clearly as if it was only yesterday. He was a thin male of dark blue skin, long horns that tilted backwards from behind his bangs, eyes of a deep ocean blue, and hair of a brown so dark that it was almost black. His hair was long, tied back with a loose braid, and his bangs floated like feathers. Many of his fellow soldiers called him "Raven" for his feathery, almost black hair, and for the dark color of his skin. I could see him in my mind as I played back this old recording that was made just after we were married.

"By some turn of events," the recording continued, "We find ourselves spending New Year's Eve apart and unable to actually communicate with each other. You're probably in your lab back home while I'm probably halfway around the world with my battalion fighting some war for my country."

"Nope, that's not it," I replied.

"Right now, I'm most likely playing the recording I have of you, hearing the beautiful sound of your voice in that wonderful Scottish accent of yours."

"No, you're not, ya liar," I chuckled, knowing full well that he couldn't from where he was.

"Wherever you are, please know that even though I can't be there to kiss you at midnight this year,"

"Or any year," I quickly added.

"I'm with you in spirit, and I will always and forever love you. I hope that wherever you are, you're in the company of good friends."

"For the first time in many years," I replied, "I am."

"When the countdown ends, I'll have my glass of scotch at my ready. The kind you make, of course. I can't drink anything else."

"Of course not," I said.

"You never let me."

"That's right," I nodded.

"When the timer hits zero, close your eyes and drink with me. We'll toast to our marriage, and the many years we'll have together."

"Our marriage that ended too soon," I corrected.

"I miss you, Marcia, and I love you with all my heart. I hope to see you again soon, and that we don't wind up doing this again next year."

"But we will," I said, "And every year afterwards."

"Good night, Marcia," he continued, "I'll think of you as we drink at midnight. Remember that you are always my sweet lovely lady."

And with that, the recording ended. The screen went blank and then displayed a timer, counting down the seconds to midnight. There were only twenty seconds left.

"I still miss you, Allen," I sobbed, looking down at my drink. "It's been so long, but I still miss you so."

Ten, nine, I lifted my glass.

"Here's to old wounds," I said, "And to new beginnings."

As the clock struck zero, chiming in the New Year, I closed my eyes and brought the glass to my lips. When I opened my eyes again, a bright white light began to shine from the door, and grew brighter until it filled the entire lab and shoved me into the counter beside me.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Silverbolt)

I found myself wandering the streets looking for her. She wasn't on the roof when I looked, so my only guess was that she was out walking. Of course, I hadn't a clue where to begin my search, and so most of my walking was in no particular direction.

I had been walking for at least half an hour when I suddenly felt the urge to stop walking. I turned my gaze and noticed that I'd stopped in front of the Upendi Night club.

"All this walking and I ended up here?" I asked myself in thought, confused that I had found myself so close to home.

I breathed a sigh and decided to step inside.

"I won't find her wandering the city like an idiot," I thought. "Especially if I keep ending up back at home. While I'm here, I may as well go in and enjoy some of the music."

I went through the door and sat at the bar. The elder African man tended bar while on the stage sang two women. One of them was the blue haired girl I remembered from before, and the other was a taller girl with light brown hair and small dark markings on her face. Both of them sang beautifully.

"What can I get you, Sah?" The man asked me from behind the counter.

"Oh, nothing for me, thank you," I replied. "I only came in for the music. Your name is Rafiki, correct?"

"Dat is correct, Sah," he said with a nod, "And if I remembah correctly, you ah one of Freddie's family. Am I correct?"

"Freddie?" I repeated, not quite recognizing the name, although it did sound familiar.

He looked to either side of him and then leaned closer to me.

"Boobah," he whispered to me and then moved back to where he was.

"Oh, Boober. Yes," I said, suddenly remembering that Freddie was what he went by here.

"Den you get a drink on deh house," he said, "You look like you carry deh weight of deh world on your shoulders, and you got big shoulders. It takes a great deal of weight to burden shoulders like dat, and to also bring a man to come to a bar after deh New Year's countdown has already past. A good drink will do you some good, my friend."

"Thank you, kindly," I began, "But I really---"

"Please," he interrupted and held an empty glass up to me, "I insist. What would you like to drink?"

I looked at him for a moment, and he looked back at me with a crooked grin on his face, eyebrow raised high. He had a certain charm to him that was difficult to refuse.

"Bourbon," I said finally.

He only nodded and began to serve the drink for me. That's when I noticed a man sitting to the left of me with a drink in his hand. He was a short man, but very well built, making him seem much larger than he actually was. The one thing that stood out the most was a strange mask that covered his nose and mouth, which led me to wonder how he was drinking the beverage in his hand.

"Pardon me for asking," I said to the man, "But how are you drinking that?"

He broke from his daze and looked over to me, and then down to his drink. He then lifted his glass and tiled his head as he poured the drink through the front of the mask. When he was finished, he placed the nearly empty glass back down on the counter.

"Real careful-like," he answered in a gritted voice as he turned and glared at me.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you," I said, "I was simply curious."

"Nah, t'ain't you I'm mad at," he said. "My girl done fallen fer some other guy. Damn, we been together for I can't recall how long, and then she goes and pulls this shit on me."

"I'm sorry to hear that," I said, "I too am having female troubles."

"Your girl turn on you, too?" he asked.

"No, it's nothing of that sort," I said.

"Your drink, Sah," Rafiki said as he handed me my Bourbon.

"Thank you," I said to him and began to drink.

"So what's your story?" the man beside me asked.

"Well," I began, "I'm not quite sure, to be honest with you. This girl moved in with me and my family some time ago, and I think I may be falling for her. But she is so elusive. She seems to avoid me like the plague."

"Ah, one o' those. Listen, buddy, when it comes to them females, ya gotta be aggressive. They think they got the control by tryin' ta reject you. When a girl's runnin' away all the time, it means she done started havin' feelings for you and just don't want it gittin' anywhere serious. So if yer always in 'er face when she's tryin' ta run, sooner or later, she'll turn up wantin' you."

"How do you know all this?" I asked.

"Cuz my girl's like that," he said, "I just figgered all women're like that."

"Perhaps many of them are like that," I replied, "But I'm not sure she is."

"Hey, I'm just givin' ya my two cents," he said as he got up and paid his bill. "Take it or not. It's yer call. See ya round."

"Thank you," I said to him as he walked away and out of the bar.

I looked back down at my drink, and stared at it for a moment.

"And I also have to factor that she works for the Prime Ruler," I thought to myself, "I need to find out what she's doing and why she's doing it. It makes no sense to me. Why would she betray her own kind?"

"Does she know you're in love with her?" asked a young male voice to the right of me.

I looked up and saw a young Asian-looking man in his twenties with short black hair and brown eyes. He sat two seats to the right of me.

"I don't believe so," I said, "I've not told her."

"I think you should," he said. "For all you know, she could be the one for you."

"It's not quite that simple."

"Believe me, I know it's not simple," he said and then pointed to the stage, "See the taller girl singing on the stage? That's my wife, Belldandy, and let me tell you that it was definitely not an easy for us starting out. Complications with her family back home kept preventing us from getting together. But with a lot of patience and perseverance, we were finally able to settle down and get married."

"Congratulations," I said to him, "She's beautiful."

"Thanks," he said and then held his hand up to me, "Keichi Morisato."

"Silverbolt," I replied with a nod, "Forgive me if I don't shake your hand. It's just another complication on my end."

"It's alright," he said and put his hand in his jeans pocket, "Everyone has their own set of problems. It's all a matter of knowing how to deal with it. And I'm pretty sure yours would probably start getting easier if you admitted to that girl how you feel about her."

"I'm still debating whether or not I actually DO feel that way about her," I said. "I'm in such a state of confusion, it's almost unbearable."

"Well, when you figure it out," he said as he got up from his seat, "Be sure to let her know about it. It doesn't do anyone any good to keep your feelings bottled up."

"I'll keep that in mind," I nodded, "Thank you."

"No problem," he nodded back and then looked to Rafiki, "See you later, Rafiki."

"Of course, Keichi," he replied as Keichi walked away to one of the empty tables.

I finished my drink and placed it on the counter. I lifted myself from the stool and turned to the door. I was ready to go home.

"Thank you for the drink," I said to Rafiki.

"Come again soon," he nodded back at me as I walked across the bar and out the door.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Vaala)

When the light finally faded away, I opened my eyes and saw everyone else lying unconscious where they were. The first thing I noticed after that was that everyone's cloaks were turned on.

"That's weird," I thought to myself, "Why are all the cloakers on?"

I got up and walked back behind the couch where Gold and Jigen were lying on the floor. Then I realized something wasn't right.

"Wait a second," I said, "That's not Gold's cloak."

She didn't look like her daytime human self, as her cloak normally showed. What I saw in front of me was a human version of Gold's gargoyle self, with a slightly longer face than her regular human form and poofy pink and blue hair instead of blonde.

I knelt down next to her and felt around her head. Her ears were human, and her horns were missing.

"Uh-oh," I said as I looked over to Jigen.

I waved my hand in front of his face to feel for his beak. Then I touched his face to make sure. It just wasn't there.

"Oh shit," I said out loud.

I rushed back to my feet and ran into the penthouse.

"Mac!" I called as I ran to the lab, "Mac, we've got a situation!"

As I stepped inside, I saw an unconscious human woman sitting in Mac's chair with her head resting on her arm on the counter and a glass of scotch in her hand.

"Oh man," I rolled my eyes, "Well NOW what am I gonna do?"

I looked down on the floor where Krypto was lying down, also unconscious with his bone still firmly fixed in his jaws. He looked like a normal white dog.

"What the hell is going on?!" I asked to no one in particular.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Silverbolt)

I was almost home. My walk was nearly over. I was just outside the apartment building. I stopped for a moment and looked up at the sky, although much of it was blocked by the buildings that lined the street, and the street lights made the stars far less visible. It was a clear night, however, so there were a few to be seen, even from the lighted city street.

"There is only one more hour left on my cloaker," I thought to myself, "And sunrise isn't far in coming. If I look any further for her, I may not make it back in time."

I took a deep breath of the cold winter air and let out a sigh. I looked back down ahead of me, and saw Blackarachnia standing in front of me, arms crossed and eyes fixated on me. When she looked at me, it was like a venomous barb had pierced through my heart. I knew right then, beyond any doubt, that I was in love with her.

She was so dangerous and beautiful in that outfit she was wearing. Although I could only see the cloak, I remembered how she looked naturally, and that outfit perfectly complimented her arachnid-like features.

This threw my mind into a state of confliction. I knew perfectly well what her intentions were for us, for me and for my current clan. I couldn't bear to think what would happen if I let my feelings cloud my better judgment. However, I somehow knew in my heart that somewhere deep inside, she wanted to be one of us.

"Blackarachnia," I said to her and slowly stepped my way over to her.

"What are you doing out here?"

"I've been looking for you," I explained.

"You've been walking around all night looking for me?"

"Yes," I answered, "There's something of great importance I need to speak with you about."

"And what's that?"

"I..." I began, but hesitated, "I'm... not quite sure how to say this."

"Spit it out, Rover," she said, "I don't have all night."

"Neither do I," I said as I stopped only a foot away from her, "But there's so much I want to say. I don't know where to begin."

"If you want to talk to me," she said, "Start talking already."

"Blackarachnia," I began, "You've been with us for over two months now, and in that time I've found myself growing ever more curious about you."

"Yeah, I know that," she said, "You rarely leave me alone. I know you got that habit from being a leader as long as you have, but it gets rather annoying after a while."

"It's no longer a matter of my experience as a leader," I said and took one of her talons in mine. "I wish to know you as a person."

She blinked at me for a moment, brow raised.

"What are you getting at?" she asked finally.

"You've stolen my heart, Blackarachnia," I answered. "You've taken it and drowned it with your dark poison. And now I'm afraid I can't keep myself away from you."

"Drowned your heart with my dark poison?" she laughed, "Where do you get your sappy material?"

"Where else but my own heart?" I answered. "Which grows heavy every second you remain in my mind."

"Why do I get the feeling you're not telling me something?" she asked.

I looked away for a moment and let out a sigh. I lifted my free talon and placed it with the other ontop of hers, and I looked up at her.

"I know that you take orders from the Prime Ruler," I said softly to her.

"The Prime Ruler, huh?" she replied. "And where'd you hear that bit of gossip?"

"I overheard you on the roof as you were speaking to him," I said, "The night of Gold's hatchday. I was just inside the door, and I heard him order you to pay close attention to Gold. Tell me. Why is she so important?"

"She's not," she answered, beginning to sound annoyed, "You're just imagining things that aren't there."

"I am not one to hallucinate. Blackarachnia, why are you doing this? You are a gargoyle, and yet you work for the Prime Ruler. How can you do this to your own kind?"

"You're NOT my kind!" she retorted, her eyes flaring a bright pink color as she threw her talon back away from mine.

"Blackarachnia, please!" I replied, "This isn't necessary! You can join us! Our clan has been trying to welcome you for the past two months. I really think--"

I was interrupted when a sharp pain pierced through my right wrist and forearm. I looked down and saw long thin barbs sticking clear through my arm in both places. I also saw my cloaker beginning to spark and quickly noticed the barb in my wrist had also gone through the cloaker.

Blackarachnia leaned closer to me and held my face with her talon.

"Keep your feelings to yourself," She growled and threw me several feet away from her, and it was at that point I realized that my vision was beginning to blur.

"What is this?" I thought as I began to run.

I ran and ran without the slightest idea of where I was going.

"How could she do this to me?" I asked in thought as my vision slowly faded away. "What has she to gain from this?"

I could feel my strength quickly failing as I stumbled around and then fell to my knees. After that, I couldn't keep myself up anymore, and I fell flat on my face as my conscious thoughts slowly faded out.

"Blackarachnia," I tried to say, but I couldn't tell whether I actually did or not.

And then everything fell to black.

**(To Be Continued...)**


	27. Chapter 26: Strange Visits, Part II

Gold Demona

**Chapter XXVI**

Strange Visits: Part II

(Vaala)

(That morning...)(January 1, 2111 A.D.)

For the past few hours, I'd been pacing around the apartment, trying to figure out what had happened. It was five in the morning, and the sun still hadn't come up yet. Everyone was still unconscious, and I was beginning to worry. I had half a mind to try and wake them up. The other half of my mind was scrambling around for an explanation as to how this happened.

"What the hell?" I found myself saying for the thousandth time that night.

I passed by the couch and shot a glance at Markl, holding the small unconscious unicorn fey on his lap. The something clicked.

"He did this," I realized out loud.

I bent down and picked him up.

"Hey!" I said as I shook him a bit, "Wake up!"

"Uhnnn..." He groaned and slowly opened his eyes, "Huh?"

"What did you do?" I asked him.

"Huh?" He replied as he blinked a few times and finished waking up. "What do you mean?"

"Don't act dumb," I said and turned him around to look at the handful of humans that, until a few hours ago, were gargoyles. "I mean that."

"It worked," he said.

"What worked?" I replied and turned him back around, starting to get annoyed, "What did you do?"

"Aren't you happy?" he asked, his head sinking in shame.

"Happy?!" I retorted, "Happy?! Hell, I am FAR from happy! What went through your little fey head to think this would make me happy?!"

"I wanted everyone to be happy," he said, "I thought that if I turned them into humans, then they wouldn't have to worry about dying because they wouldn't have to hide. I thought I was helping them. Please don't be angry. I just wanted to help."

I looked at him for a long moment. He was about on the verge of crying. I rolled my eyes and took a long deep breath. I let out a loud exasperated sigh and lowered my arms a bit because he was starting to get heavy.

"Look," I said to him as I set him down on the coffee table, "Oberon has laws against directly interfering with mortal lives, and he has them for a reason. This counts as the ultimate violation of those laws."

"But why is it so bad to try and help people if we have the power to do it?" he asked.

"It's not bad to wanna help people," I explained, "But you can't just go giving them what they want just because you think it'll make them happy. If you wanna help people with your magic, you have to be a lot more subtle about it. And I do mean a LOT more subtle."

"Subtle?" he repeated, tilting his head in confusion, "What's that?"

"Well, it's---" I started to say, but then I heard Jigen groaning from behind the couch.

"Oh man, my head," I heard him groan and then pause for a moment, "WHAT THE HELL?!"

I ran around behind the couch and found Jigen rubbing his face up and down with his hand while at the same time gawking down at Gold.

"Jigen?" I said to him, "Are you alright?"

He looked up at me from where he sat, threw his gaze back at Gold, and then back to me.

"Vaala, what just happened?!" he asked.

"Well, it didn't JUST happen," I replied, "You've been unconscious for the past five hours."

"I don't give a damn about that!" he yelled, "I just wanna know what the hell's going on!"

"Jigen, please stop yelling," Gold moaned as she sat up with her hand on her head, "My head hurts."

"Gold, are you alright?" Jigen asked as he turned to her and grabbed her by the arms.

"Yeah, I'm fine, but..." she answered and then started staring at Jigen, "Why's your cloaker turned on?"

"It's not," he answered plainly and placed her hand on his face.

Her eyes widened and turned over to me.

"Vaala?" she asked.

"Ask Unico," I said and pointed to him on the coffee table, "He did it."

They both got up to their feet and looked over to Unico on the coffee table, but then they looked down at Red, Boober, and Markl still unconscious on the couch.

"I need a cigarette," Jigen said and walked out the front door.

"I'm going with you," Gold said as she followed him out.

"I don't understand," Unico said, "I thought they'd be happy."

"I told you it's not that simple," I said.

"What's all the yelling about?" Red groaned as she woke up.

"I don't know, but I have a splitting headache," Boober replied.

"Yeah, me too," Markl added.

"Welcome back, guys," I greeted, "And Happy New Year."

"New Year?!" Red blurted and turned to me, "What I remember of the New Year was a huge light and then I wake up with a headache."

"Uh, Red?" Boober said.

"Not now, Boober," She said and then pointed a finger at me, "Just what---"

She stopped and looked at the hand she'd just pointed at me. She sat back down on the couch and looked over to Boober and Markl, eyes blinking in confusion. She slowly raised her hand and put it to Boober's face. Her eyes widened and she brought her hand down. Boober wiped his face with his hand and sneered as Red turned back in my direction.

"Are we...?" she asked, pointing to herself.

"Human?" I finish her question for her, "Yeah."

She looked over to the coffee table, where Unico sat, watching.

"Did you...?" she asked, pointing to him.

He slowly nodded, head hung like he was being punished.

Red looked at him for a long moment, eyes wide. Slowly her face turned angry until she was almost growling with fury.

"You little idiot!" she yelled as she picked him up by his neck and started shaking him like a rag doll.

"Unico!" Markl yelled as he jumped up from the couch and tried to get Red to let him go.

"Red! Stop!" Boober yelled to her as he also got up and joined in.

"Change me back, you little bastard!" she growled, "NOW!"

"Red!" I yelled and tried to pry her hands open. "Let him go!"

Then he suddenly disappeared from her hands and reappeared in Markl's arms, scared and crying into his chest. Markl held him close and gave Red a hard look.

"Red, what were you thinking?!" Boober yelled at her.

"Boober, I don't mind pretending to be a human so I don't get killed!" she explained, "But I don't want to actually BE a human! I would like to at least have the OPTION of going for a glide when it's finally safe for us to do that again! I like having my wings and my claws and my tail. I'm a GARGOYLE, Boober! That's ME! I wanna be ME!"

"I thought you wanted to be Mokey," Boober said with a grin.

"I am NOT in the mood for that, Boober! NOT right now! I was SIXTEEN when that happened. LET it go!"

"Calm down, geez," I said.

"NO!" she yelled and glared at me, "I was just robbed of my identity! I will NOT calm down. I want this fixed, and I mean NOW!"

"I'm sorry!" Unico sobbed hysterically, "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to hurt anyone! I just wanted to help! I... I..."

He started wailing and bawling like a baby. The rest of us winced and slowly looked over to Red.

"Red..." Boober pleaded.

"I'm not gonna feel bad for him!" she said, "HE'S the one who screwed up! HE'S the one that has to fix it!"

"But I can't," he sobbed and sniffed as he stopped his wailing, "I used up almost all of my magic."

"You mean you can't change us back?" Markl asked.

"I'm sorry!" he sobbed again, "I can't!"

"You probably just need to rest for a little while," I said. "At least until your magic is restored to normal. For an adult fey, this wouldn't really be that much, and they'd only need to rest for like an hour or so. But you seem really young for a fey. Just how old ARE you?"

"A hundred and one," he sniffed.

I blinked for a moment.

"He's younger than Mac," Markl pointed out.

"Well, no wonder you don't know anything about Oberon's laws," I said, "You're practically a baby in Avalon's terms. And by Oberon's laws, you shouldn't be allowed out of Avalon yet. How'd you even GET here?"

"A human brought me here," he said. "While Lord Oberon was yelling at me and saying something about banishment. But before Lord Oberon could finish, the human took me away from there and brought me here."

"Banishment?" I repeated, "What was he banishing you for?"

"For wanting to help people with my magic," he said.

"Helping?" Red said, raising her hands up for us to see, "Helping?! You call this HELPING?!"

"Please don't yell at me!" Unico cringed and put one of his hooves over his head. "I didn't mean any harm!"

"Red, please!" Boober pleaded as he pushed her hands down and held them there, "I'm sure he'll be able to change us back once he's rested. Until then, we'll have to just deal with it."

She growled for a moment, and then she rolled her eyes and shut them. She took a deep breath.

"Alright," she sighed, "I'll deal with it."

"You will change us back, right?" Markl asked the small unicorn in his arms. "After you've rested?"

"Of course I will," he said, "I don't want anyone to be mad at me. Especially not her."

"So long as I know this isn't permanent," Red replied, pointing to herself, "We don't have a problem."

The TV then swung open, and Mac walked out from behind it. She looked over to everyone else and nodded.

"Alright, Ah'm noht theh onleh one," she said.

"Hey, Krypto got changed, too," I replied.

"Aye, boht heh's a dohg," she replied, "Eht hardleh coonts."

There was a long quiet moment, and then she looked over to Unico.

"Ah tehk eht thaht's tha cohs ohf ohll thes?" she asked.

"Yes," we all answered and nodded.

"I'm sorry," he apologized for what seemed like the hundredth time. "I promise I'll fix it when I can."

"Noo doubt ye well, lahd," Mac replied, "Ah doon't mind eht so moch. Ah wos jost sarprised by eht. Jost aboot gehv meh a cardiahc arrist, ahnd aht my age, thaht's somethin weh doon't want hahpennin."

"No, we don't," I replied and then realized something, "Hey, Silverbolt and Blackarachnia haven't come back yet."

"And it's almost dawn," Markl pointed out.

"But wouldn't they be humans, too?" Red pointed out.

"Neither of them were here when all this happened," I said, "They're probably still the same."

"Hey, while Unico rests and gets his magic back," Markl said, "We can go look for them."

"A fine idea," Mac replied. "Ah'll join ye."

"You're leaving the lab?" I asked.

"Ah'm sure everehone ilse well agree weth meh ohn thes," she said, "Ah'd like ta see tha sohn whin eht cohms ohp, ahnd Ah cahn't do soch ehn tha lahb."

"Hey, yeah," Red said, suddenly sounding excited. "And we don't have a time limit, either. We can stay out as long as we want."

"So now all of a sudden, you LIKE being a human?" I replied, eyebrow raised.

"Well, yeah, now that I know it's temporary," she said. "So what are we waiting for? Let's go."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Jigen)

I couldn't stop running my... hand down the front of my face between cigarettes. It felt really weird not having my beak there. My mouth felt like it was too small. I kept finding myself moving my tongue around in and out of my mouth, which was a lot smaller than what I was used to, and contorting my lips in weird directions. It was just too weird. It didn't even feel right having my cigarette where it was. Gold just stood there watching me, not saying much of anything, which only added to the discomfort.

"Say something, will ya?" I said finally to break the silence as I lit my next cigarette.

"Well, I don't know what to say," she said. "You just seem really weirded out by all this."

"My frickin' beak's gone, Gold!" I retorted, "What do you think?"

"Hey, don't snap at me!" she yelled and grabbed her hair with both hands, "At least you can pass for normal! I've got naturally pink and blue hair on an otherwise normal human body!"

"Alright, alright, I'm sorry," I replied, "Gimme a break. I'm not used to this."

"I know," she said as she wrapped her arms around me and rested her head on my chest. "But look on the bright side. We can watch the sun rise and set again."

"Heh," I smirked, "You're right. Looks like the sun's getting close to rising now."

We both looked up at the sky, and I noticed the color starting to change, as it did the last time we stood out here for the sunrise.

"Never thought I'd get to see this again." I said as I wrapped my arms around her and held her closer to me.

"I like being able to watch it with you," she replied. "Agh!"

Then she suddenly stiffened up and squeezed me tighter.

"Ah!" I grunted as she practically squeezed all the air out of me, "Gold! Leggo!"

Slowly she did and fell to her knees. I knelt down and grabbed her shoulders.

"Gold?" I asked.

"It hurts..." she whimpered. "Jigen, it hurts!"

"What hurts?" I asked, "Gold, talk to me!"

She didn't answer, but I did notice her hair starting to droop and turn blonde.

"Oh man," I said as I threw my cigarette away, "We have to get you to Mac."

I picked her up in my arms and ran all the way down to the apartment. I got the door open and immediately ran to the lab.

"Mac!" I called just before I got there.

I ran in to find that she wasn't there.

"Dammit," I said, "The one time I need her to be here in the lab, and she's not."

I laid Gold down on the gurney. She seemed more relaxed, but she was breathing pretty hard. I sat down in the extra chair and rolled over beside her.

"You're gonna be alright," I said, more to convince myself than her.

She took a deep breath, and then she turned her head and looked at me.

"I'm okay," she panted, "It's over now."

"Over?" I replied, "Over?! Just what the hell was that?!"

"I have no idea," she said as she sat up, "But it's over now."

"Well, good," I replied. "Cuz you had me thinkin' you were dying or something."

"For a minute there, I thought I actually was," she said and looked over to me, "It wasn't like it normally was, where I'd just change and that's it. It felt more like I was being torn apart from the inside."

"Any idea what might've caused that?"

"Not a clue. I've never had this happen to me before. It's always just felt weird. I never had it hurt before. Then again, I've never gone from human to human, either."

"Well, when Mac comes back from wherever the hell she went, maybe she can figure out what the hell we can do about it."

"Kinda weird that she's not in the lab," she said, "Or even in the apartment. Everyone else seems to have gone, too."

"'Cept for Krypto," I replied and looked down to the corner he was lying in, happily chewing on his bone as if nothing happened. "Who doesn't look nearly as intimidating anymore, and he's a big breed for a normal dog."

"I wonder if he's even aware of what's going on?" she asked.

"Who knows?" I replied, "But I think a better question would be where the hell everyone else went to."

"If I had to guess," she started, "I'd say they went out to walk around the city in the sunshine."

"Maybe," I replied. "I know I couldn't wait to get out there when I had the chance."

"Do you wanna go out again?" she asked, "Like last time."

"Nah, I've seen it," I answered, "Too bright for my taste, and I don't really like the idea of goin' to Bueno Nacho again."

"Heh, well okay," she giggled.

"Wouldn't mind watchin' the sunset again, though," I continued, "Especially having you there watching it with me."

She smiled at me when I said that. At that point, it didn't matter to me whether she was human or gargoyle. The only thing I cared about was that she was okay, and that for the first time since I moved in, we had absolutely nothing to worry about. I leaned over, grabbing both of her hands in mine, and I kissed her. It felt weird having my nose right on her cheek, but at the moment, I didn't really care. Our lips separated, and we looked at each other.

"Well, that's different," she laughed.

"Yeah," I laughed back, "No kidding."

We stared at each other for a moment and then locked lips again.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Mac)

My mind was racing with all of the new sensations I was experiencing. As a practicing doctor and as a scientist, the anatomy of the human body was always something I'd study regularly. Never in all my years had I ever thought I would have the opportunity to experience living in such a body for myself. To experience what it was like not to become stone with the sunrise. To see the world in a natural light of the sun. To walk along the road with these legs which I'd always thought to be an odd shape. I'd always wondered how humans could support themselves on such straight and rigid legs with no counterbalance. By all means, it didn't make any sense to me, even then as we stepped from the elevator, only minutes before the sun was to rise.

"How are we so sure nothing will happen when the sun goes up?" Boober asked as we walked through the lobby of the building.

"Boober, don't be stupid," Red argued, "We're humans now, remember? Nothing will happen."

"Yes, but I can't help but feel that something terrible is going to happen."

"So you're still not happy?" asked the young fey, Unico, "Even after I promised I'd change you back when my magic is restored?"

Before leaving, Unico had taken a human form so he could walk alongside us on our outing. He appeared as a young boy almost Markl's age with bright pinkish red hair.

"It's not that," he answered, "I just have a very bad feeling that something's going to happen."

"Something like what?" Markl replied.

"I don't know," Boober answered, "It's just something I get sometimes."

"Yeah, it's called 'paranoid'?" Red responded, "You get that a lot."

"Maybe I am," he retorted, "But for the most part, I tend to be right."

We stepped out to the outside of the building, and immediately I saw something on the pavement that I knew for certain should not have been there.

"I suppose that may have something to do with this prophecy of yours?" I asked as I pointed to large splotch of red on the ground before us.

"Oh, please tell me that's not blood," Red said as we all gathered around it.

I knelt down to it to have a better look at it. Everyone else just stayed a good distance back.

"Aye, it's blood," I answered as I wipe my fingers on it and sniffed the residue on my fingertips, "And gargoyle blood at that."

I reached for my pockets and searched the various portable containers I kept in them.

"Gargoyle blood?" Vaala replied.

"Oh God, I hate it when I'm right!" Boober said in a quivering voice. "Silverbolt's dead, I just know it."

"We don't know that to be a certainty," I said as I collected some of the blood and placed it in a small bag so I could test it later. "We don't even know if this is his. For all we know this may have come from Blackarachnia. The blood is still relatively fresh, and there's not enough blood that would suggest that the wound was fatal. I would say this happened no more than two hours ago."

"But how do you know it's gargoyle blood?" Markl asked.

"The smell and coloring," I answered as I slipped the bag in my pockets and pulled a handkerchief from my other pocket, "And the ever so slight difference in the consistency."

"So you think whoever was bleeding might still be alive?" Vaala asked.

"It's difficult to say for certain," I said as I rose to my feet and used the handkerchief to wipe the blood from my hands, "This is only from initial speculation. The only way for me to know anything for certain is to test this blood in the lab."

"Well, we don't have time for that," Vaala said and began to walk down the road away from us, "There's a trail leading away from here, and I'm gonna find out where it goes."

"Hey, wait for us!" Red yelled and followed Vaala.

Boober, of course, ran off behind her.

"Aren't you coming, Mac?" Markl asked.

"I'm far too old to be running around like a hen with no head," I answered. "I think it'd be best if I just go back to the lab and test this blood to see whose it is."

"Well, I'm gonna go help Vaala," he said and ran off to catch up with her, with Unico right behind him.

"Well, I'll leave ya to that," I said as they all disappeared around the corner.

I looked up to the sky and noticed that the sky had changed to a light blue color, and the clouds a bright white.

"It's a shame I'm going to miss this," I sighed as I turned to the building and went inside. "But this is far more important."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Gold Demona)

My lips were almost numb from how much we were kissing. He practically had me pressed against the wall as I sat there on the gurney, just taking it all as I ran my hands down the sides of his bearded face.

"Foor Hivven's sehks, lass!" I heard Mac yell from the lab door, bringing our makeout session to a grinding halt, "Ye hahve a bidroom, do ye noht?"

Both our faces turned a bright red as Jigen flopped back down on the chair he was sitting on before this happened. We just kind of stuttered for a moment as she gave us a hard stare.

"Will, Ah'm glahd Ah decided ta cohme bahck whin Ah ded," she said as she walked across the room and sat down on her chair, "Loord knoos how far thaht would hahve gohtten ehf Ah'd stehd oot moch longar."

"Where did you go?" I asked.

"Ev'rehone wonted ta go oot ta wohk ehn tha sohnshine," she answered as she pulled a small baggie out of her coat pocket. "Encludin' m'silf. Howivar, eht sehms we've foond a clue ta Blahckarahchnia and Selvar's desappehrences."

"Neither of them have come back since last night?" I asked.

"I don't like the sound of that," Jigen replied.

"Aye, nye-thar do I," she said as she took a small container out of the baggie, "Whech ehs why Ah've collicted a sahmple ohf tha blood spelt on tha pehvmint jost ootside tha beldin."

She opened one of her cabinets and pulled some kind of small machine out from it. It kind of looked like a microscope on steroids, except with a screen underneath the eyepieces. She put it on the counter beside her and stuck the sample into it.

"Blood?" I repeated, really not liking where this was going, "Do you think...?"

"I'm pretty sure I know what happened," Jigen said as he got up from the chair and started walking out of the room, "He tried to get too close to her and got on her bad side, and I'm willing to bet that blood's his."

"We don't know that," I retorted as he kept going.

"Just watch," he said as he disappeared out the door.

"He's wrong, isn't he?" I asked Mac after Jigen was gone.

"Like ya sid, lass," she said as she turned the machine on and looked through the eyepiece, "Weh doon't knoow fer sartain."

She adjusted some knobs and then pressed some buttons and looked down to the screen. The look on her face wasn't a happy one.

"Eht's Selvar's," she said with a sad sigh, "Ahnd thir's moore bahd news."

"What?" I asked.

"Thir's poison ehn hes blood," she said and looked up at me. "Boht Ah cahn't detarmen hoow strohngth eht ehs. Whirevar he ehs, weh cahn onleh hope he's mahnaged ta sarvive tell sohnrise."

"You think Blackarachnia might've done it?" I asked.

"Far Selver's sehk, Ah preh thaht's noht tha case."

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(Vaala)

"This doesn't look good," Red complained as we all gathered where we'd stopped.

We followed the trail up the street, around the corner, and halfway down the block. The spots staggered from left to right a lot until it finally swerved off into the middle of the street, where the trail ended in a big red smear. I looked closer as I noticed a small handful of large feathers lying in the puddle of blood.

"Oh no," I quivered as I picked up one of the larger feathers.

"Do you think he might've been...?" Markl asked, not quite finishing the question.

"I think I'm going to be sick," Boober said as he bent over, putting his hands on his knees.

"Oh no you're not," Red said as she started rubbing his back. "Just take deep breaths. You'll be fine."

"We don't know he's dead," Markl said with a tone of optimism, "He could've been moved, right? He just fell down here, and then somebody moved him. He could still be alive, right? ...Right?"

"Do you realize how highly UNLIKELY that is?" Red asked, "If somebody came up and killed him, the only moving they'd do would be to move the corpse so it's not on the road."

"Did he die?" Unico asked in a scared sort of tone.

"We don't know that for sure, Unico," I answered.

"Vaala, you've gotta face the facts here," Red said, "This is New Liberty we're talking about here. The odds of him being alive, after bleeding like that and being caught outside after sunrise, is like a thousand to one."

"Then we have to hope he falls under that one," I said as I started walking, still holding the bloody feather in my hand, "Let's go home. Maybe Mac's got more of this figured out."

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(Jigen)

I stared at the splotch on the sidewalk for a moment as I lit my cigarette. There wasn't a doubt in my mind that this was a scene of foul play.

"Dammit, Silver," I said to myself as I put my lighter away, "What'd I tell you?"

"Hey, Jigen!" I heard Vaala call from down the street. I looked up and saw everyone else walking up with her.

"Cutting your walk a little short?" I asked. "It's still morning."

"Yeah, but Silverbolt and Blackarachnia are still missing," Vaala said.

"We have to find out what happened," Markl added.

"I'm pretty sure I know what happened," I said, and then noticed something in Vaala's hand, "And that feather in your hand confirms it. This whole thing stinks of foul play. If this is Silver's blood, then I can almost guarantee you that Blackarachnia's the one who did it."

"But how are you so sure of that?" Vaala replied, "She hasn't done anything up to this point."

"Because I've seen this kind of thing before," I said, "I can't tell you how many times I've seen females like her come in and get close just to stab you in the back. I warned him about this, and he ignored me completely."

"So what are you gonna do about it?" Red asked. "The trail goes up the street and around the corner and ends in the middle of the road."

"Hmm," I replied.

"Are you gonna try to find him?" Markl asked.

"I dunno," I said and started walking, following the trail of blood.

"Where're you going?" Boober asked, "Red just said where the trail goes."

"Just seeing for myself," I said as I walked past them, "You go back to enjoying your time in the sun."

They stayed quiet after that. I just kept walking. Up the street, around the corner, and halfway down the block. I looked at the smear on the street.

"Alright, here's where you fell," I thought as I knelt down by the splotch, "You were obviously moved. And going by the smearing, you were still flesh when that happened. So the question is... where did you get moved to?"

I toss my cigarette aside and stood back up to look around. The buildings in the area were mostly small and rundown, and some even looked abandoned. There was only one building that looked like it was in good repair. It was a small church at the far corner of the road.

"I wonder..." I said to myself as I started walking in that direction.

I walked up to the big doors and pulled them open. I stepped inside and walked down the aisle, past the several rows of pews. There were stained glass windows all across the walls on either side, all the way up to the altar. There was a big cross standing in the back, a large table in front of that, a few rows of steps off to the one side, and on the other side, way in the corner, was the confessional, which had a sign on it that had "Out of Service" hand-written on the front.

"Well, that's weird," I thought.

"Is there something I can help you with, my son?" Said a high-pitched male voice from seemingly nowhere.

I looked around and found a man standing behind me. He was a little shorter than me and had light brown hair. He wore a black outfit with a priest collar and a silver cross strung around his neck. He also wore glasses and a white fedora, similar in style to the one Pops wore.

"Are you the priest here?" I asked, kind of thrown off by how casually this guy was dressed for a priest.

"I am," he answered with a nod.

"Don't take confessions on holidays?" I asked, looking over to the confessional.

"The confessional is closed for cleaning," he said, "You would be surprised at how messy some of these confessions can get."

"Actually, no I wouldn't," I replied, "Especially not in this country."

"Oh yes," he said, hanging his head, "This country in particular seems to be fraught with atrocity. I couldn't begin to describe the kind of sadness I feel for some of the monstrous individuals I've seen here."

"Hmm."

Then I noticed something lying on the table and started walking towards it.

"If it's confession you seek here," the priest said, "I'm afraid it can't be done until the confessional is fully cleaned."

"I'm not here to confess," I said as I picked up a familiar-looking wristwatch from the table.

It was covered in blood, and it had a huge hole in the watch face, going straight through the watch. The hole was big enough I could stick my pinky finger straight through it, which felt kind of weird considering my gargoyle claws were a lot bigger than that. The watch had a twist knob for the time and another button beside it, the button to turn the cloak function on.

"Tell me, Father," I said to him, "Where'd this watch come from?"

"It was found and brought to me earlier this morning," he said, "Along with prayers for the safety of the watch's owner."

"Any idea where he might be?" I asked.

"I'm sorry to say I have none," he said, "We were given the watch and the prayers, and that was all. Is he a friend of yours?"

"Yeah," I said as I put the cloaker back down on the table.

I turned around and started walking back up the aisle.

"I'm sorry I could not be more help to you," he said and stepped in front of me, "I pray that you find him."

"Thanks," I said and took off my cloaker, "If you see him, tell him that Jigen said 'I told you so'."

"I will," he said as I handed him the cloaker. "May you go with God's blessing."

He motioned his hand in a cross in front of me and stepped out of my way. I walked past him and out the door without saying another word.

"This might be a long shot," I thought as I started my walk back home, "But if he's actually in there, at least he'll have a way back."

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(Mac)

"Well that proves it," Red said, "He's dead."

We were all gathered in the lab discussing what we had found. I sat in my chair, Gold still on the gurney with Vaala sitting beside her, Red and Boober standing beside the table, and Markl sitting in the other chair with Unico back in his original form sitting on Markl's lap.

"No it doesn't!" Vaala replied, "It just explains how he was staggering all over the place and why he collapsed. He still might've made it to sunrise."

"How?" Red asked, "If he made it to sunrise, we would've seen his statue on the road ontop of that splotch. We found no statue, no body, not even so much as a stone chip. Somebody found him and moved him, and going by this country's record, they probably killed him."

"Yeah, but where's Blackarachnia?" Gold asked. "She's still missing, too. She could've found him and carried him to safety."

"Yeah, assuming she wasn't the one who sent him off bleeding," Red argued, "She looks like she's part spider anyway. The poison probably came from her."

"Yeah, but we don't KNOW that," Vaala replied.

"You know, I'm getting REALLY tired of hearing you say that," Red replied, "It's nice that you're expressing a level of optimism here, but let's face it. There's no possible way he could've gotten out of there alive. He's dead."

"I hate to say this, Vaala," I said, "But what she says carries the painful ring of truth. There are few ways he may have survived, but the chances of it are slim to none."

"But there's still a chance, dammit!" Vaala yelled, "We can't just give up on him! We have to find him!"

"And what do you suggest we do?!" Gold yelled back, "Go knocking on every door asking if they've seen a big furry gargoyle with bird wings?"

"Well no, but..." Vaala said, but then fell silent.

"I know this is difficult for you, lass," I said, "As it is for all of us. If Silverbolt is alive, then we may yet see him return to us after nightfall, but that's a great stretch on the possibility. The reality of the matter is that the chances are far greater that he will not be coming back to us."

There was a long and uncomfortable silence. Vaala was on the verge of crying, while the rest of us simply looked around at each other, trying to think of something to say. It was a hard thing to accept, the fact that we may have lost one of our comrades. The only light point to it would be that if he did die, then he would finally be reunited with the clan that he had lost before joining this one.

**(To Be Continued...)**


	28. Chapter 27: Strange Visits, Part III

Gold Demona

**Chapter XXVII**

Strange Visits: Part III

(Gold Demona)

(That evening, just before sunset...)(January 1, 2111 A.D.)

We were all up on the roof, watching the sun as it sank to the sea. The sky over the horizon was just beginning to change color from the bright blue to shades of red and yellow. The clouds were slowly turning from white to pink. It was a bright and beautiful sunset, and yet we were all having a really hard time finding any enjoyment in it.

It was kind of depressing, actually. We all wanted to believe that Silverbolt somehow survived whatever it was that happened to him, but all the evidence we found seemed to deny us any hope of that, especially after Jigen had described the cloaker he found at the church.

I leaned into Jigen, who had one arm wrapped around my shoulders while the other hand was in his pants pocket. Of course, he had a lit cigarette in his mouth, occasionally letting a big puff of smoke out of it.

The rest of us were just kind standing around, watching the sunset, except for Vaala, who sat on the edge, hunched over as she stared off to the horizon.

"So where do you suppose Blackarachnia went?" I asked.

"To tell the truth," Jigen answered, "I don't give a damn where she went."

"Me neither," Red replied, "I'm starting to think she actually killed him."

"Wouldn't surprise me," Jigen replied.

"Do you think she'll come back here?" Markl asked.

"Ehf she dohs, sheh'll hahve a greht dehl ohf explennin ta do," Mac answered.

"But what if she wasn't the one who did it?" Boober asked.

"Ha! Yeah right!" Red scoffed, "She would've known better than to stay out after sunrise. I think she's avoiding us."

"My thoughts exactly," Jigen said as he threw his cigarette aside.

"Vaala, are you okay?" Unico asked as he walked up beside her.

She looked up at him, and then she turned and looked back at all of us. Her face was red and there were tears running down her face. Needless to say she was hurting the most out of all of us.

"I should've done something," she sobbed, "I should've made him stay with us. He would've been turned into a human like all of you, and he would be fine now. He'd be here to watch the sunset with us, and we'd know he was okay. This wouldn't have happened if I'd just told him to stay for the New Year."

"Don't beat yourself up about this," I said as I walked over and sat down on the edge beside her. "It's not your fault."

I put my hand on her shoulder and started rubbing it.

"My grandpa sent me here to keep everybody safe," she sobbed and looked at me, "If I can't do that with the people LIVING with me, then what good am I?"

"Stop thinking like that," I said, "You're not the only one in charge of keeping everyone safe. ALL of us are here to keep an eye on ourselves and each other. We ALL failed him, Vaala. As a clan."

Everyone else nodded in agreement as she stopped crying and wiped her face with her hand. She turned her gaze back at the setting sun, the expression on her face not really changing much.

"You okay now?" I asked.

"I think so," she said with a sigh. "All things considered."

"We're all gonna miss him," I said as I started to get up. "AGH!"

I lost my footing as every muscle in my body started to cramp at the same time. I tried to steady myself with all the pain I was feeling, but then my head hit the sharp edge of the roof as I fell and toppled over the edge.

I faintly heard Vaala yelling something to me right before I blacked out.

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(Vaala)

"Gold!" I yelled as I reached down and grabbed her arm before she could fall from my reach.

Her momentum pulled me down and over the edge with her. I felt a pair of hands grab tightly around my leg as I fell, stopping both of us from falling to our deaths. I held onto Gold's arm with both hands as tight as I could as I looked up and saw Jigen straining just to hold onto me.

"Don't... let go!" I groaned.

"No... kidding!" he groaned back.

Red and Boober ran up and reached down to help Jigen. I could feel hands on both my legs as the three of them pulled us back up. As soon as we were both back on the roof, I rolled over on my back and breathed. Jigen also had to catch his breath as he hovered over Gold, who was lying on the roof unconscious.

"Gold," Jigen said as he gently picked her head up, which was now bleeding at the forehead.

"Let meh see har, Jegen," Mac said as she knelt down beside them.

Everyone gathered around as Mac examined her to see if she was alright. I got up and gathered with them. When I got a good look at her, I noticed that her hair had changed back to pink and blue.

"Is she okay?" Markl asked.

"Sheh's fine," Mac said, "Sheh's jost uncohnscious. Tha wound ohn har hid appirs far warse thahn eht actually ehs. Sheh'll hahve one hill of a hidache whin sheh wehks ohp, boht sheh'll beh fine."

"But what just happened?" Boober asked, "She just suddenly fell over."

"She was hurting," Jigen said as he brought Gold's bleeding head up to his chest, "Just like this morning."

"This morning?" I repeated.

"She started cringing in pain and her hair changed color," he said as he held her closer. "I think the change is what's causing it."

"Well, whatever it is," Red said, "I'm pretty sure the roof's not a very good place for her to recover."

"Aye," Mac agreed, "We'd bittar tehk har to tha lahb."

"Yeah," Jigen replied as he picked her up and carried her in his arms.

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(Silverbolt)

I awoke in a space no larger than a linen closet, sitting on a bench that was built into this small structure of dark hard wood.

"Where am I?" I asked, feeling the walls with my talons.

"Ah, I see you've fully recovered," said an elderly male voice from behind the wall to my right. "Your people truly are a remarkable species."

A small window slid open at eye level on that wall, revealing a meshed screen separating the two equally small spaces. Behind this screen was a kind-looking man wearing a white hat and a pair of eyeglasses.

"Who are you?" I asked. "And again, where am I?"

"I am called Father Mulcahy," he said, "And you are in my confessional."

That's when I noticed the white collar and the cross around his neck.

"I'm in a church?" I asked.

"Very astute," he said with a smile and a nod. "When I first saw you, you were being carried down the aisle by a small group of people claiming that you were an angel fallen from Heaven. Your disguise was beginning to fail, and your wings were flickering in and out of visibility. A very fortunate thing on your part. If it hadn't flickered as it did, I doubt you would have been likely to survive the day. If it had stayed on, they would have sent you to a hospital, where I'm certain they would've figured out your identity and had you killed. And if it had failed completely right then, they would have sent for the Hunters."

"Yes," I replied, "How fortunate for me."

"Of course, after the group left I shut the door just in time for your disguise to finish failing. I quickly cleaned and bandaged you and stuffed you in here for safekeeping until the next nightfall."

I looked down at my arm, quickly noticing that my cloaker was missing. In its place were two sets of bandages, one around my wrist and one a few inches up my arm from it. Both of them had rather large spots of blood on either side of my arm. I removed them, knowing that the wounds were no longer there.

"Your wristwatch was irreparably damaged, I'm afraid," he said, holding up my damaged cloaker. "And if I was a gambling man, which of course I am not, I would be willing to bet that this is where your disguise comes from. I can assume that whoever it was that attacked you with those poisoned barbs this morning wanted to make sure you couldn't keep your disguise."

"Poisoned?" I repeated, trying to think back to it.

My memory of what had happened was slowly coming back to me. I remembered telling Blackarachnia how I felt about her and admitting what I knew about her. Then I remembered what happened afterward.

"She poisoned me," I realized in thought, placing my other talon on the arm she had pierced. "Those barbs were from her wings."

"You seem to have something on your mind," he said.

"I do," I replied, "Something I'm ashamed to even think about."

"And what is this something that shames you so?"

"I fear I may have brought death onto my clan," I said, "I put my trust in a stranger and invited her into my home. I tried to talk to her as much as I could, trying to get her to try to get along with everyone else. I discovered not too long afterward that she had connections to the Prime Ruler. I was appalled, yes, but I did not give up on her. I foolishly thought I could turn her; make her see that she is wrong. And in these efforts, I ended up falling in love with her. I confronted her about all of this and found myself with two poisoned barbs in my arm."

"I see," he said, "And you're afraid your clan will suffer for your mistake."

"I am more than certain they will," I replied, leaning my head on the window, "I will lose this clan, just as I did my first clan. I'm a failure as a leader. No, I'm a failure as a gargoyle. I was supposed to keep the people dearest to me from harm, and I brought harm right to them. I'm ashamed to even go home after all this."

"But you haven't lost them yet," he said, "They're still alive and well. You can still save them."

"How?" I asked, "There is nowhere we can go in this city. And we can't fight the Hunters, especially if they come after sunrise."

"So you are willing to just give up?" he asked, "Simply succumb to your death and take your clan with you?"

"No, of course not," I said, "But how can I face them knowing that I brought the hand of the Prime Ruler right to them?"

"They're your clan, are they not?" he said, "I'm sure they are more worried about your safety than for their own."

"Even so..." I said and then paused for a moment, "I can't decide what hurts more. The aching in my heart from her betrayal or the shame from knowing my clan may die because of something I've done. I'm not sure they would forgive me for making such a fatal mistake. I can hardly forgive myself for it."

"Well, then it's a good thing you're in a confessional, now isn't it?" he chuckled. "It is obvious you know what you have done and are repentant of this act. If anyone can forgive you for this act, you can most certainly find it in God."

He motioned his hand in a cross through the window. I smiled. It was not my intention to seek forgiveness from God, but it certainly made me feel better hearing the priest say so.

"Why are you helping me, Father?"

"Why not?" he asked in return, "You are a soul in need of guidance, and guidance is something I have in abundance."

"But aren't you worried that helping me will bring trouble to you and your ministry?"

"Trouble is something we must all live with on this earth," he said as he got up from his seat and left the confessional, "Even those of the third race have their share of troubles to deal with."

"Yes, but they don't have to worry about death," I added.

"That is true," he said as he unlocked and opened the door so I could get out, "You and I are both mortal. Both equally vulnerable to death. Although for your people, it can be very easy for death to find you."

"Too easy, I fear," I replied as I rose to my feet and walked out of the very small confessional.

"That is the reason I am helping you," he said as he placed his hand on my shoulder, "So death will have a more difficult time finding you. So you and your clan have a better chance at survival."

He shut the door to the confessional and locked it. As he stepped away from it, I noticed a sign that read 'Out of Service'.

"I'm not sure how to thank you, Father," I said, "This sort of kindness from a stranger is not something I'm accustomed to anymore."

The priest's kind face seemed to grow stern as I said this.

"That is understandable," he said, almost sounding annoyed. "The majority of the people living in this country are not opposed to the laws against you and your people. I've seen more than my share of hateful faces in this church alone. No doubt many of them pray for God to rid the world of the 'winged demons' that plague our very way of living. It's almost laughable how ridiculous that is. If they had any sort of knowledge about gargoyles, they wouldn't be asking such things."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"If gargoyles are 'demons' as they claim," he said, "Then why is it that many of the old medieval churches have statues in their likeness on their rooftops and steeples? The Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris is a perfect example. Hundreds upon hundreds of gargoyle statues litter the upper half of the building. Why is that, if gargoyles are supposedly evil?"

"Why indeed?" I replied. I already knew the answer, but it seemed to me that this was something he'd needed to vent about. And also, I thought it interesting to hear this come from a human.

"I'll tell you why," He continued, "Because they knew then that God had put gargoyles on this earth to be protectors, to defend their home and everyone in it. Since they did not have actual gargoyles available to protect their ministry from evil, they built statues in their likeness to serve the same purpose."

"It's comforting to know that there are some humans around here who know that part of our history."

"Knowledge can be a very powerful tool," he replied as he turned around and walked over to the table at the center of the altar. ""

"I wish I knew a way to safely get home," I said, looking at my empty wrist. "Without my cloaker, I may as well have a target painted on my armor."

He turned around and walked back to me, carrying something in his hands.

"Interesting you should say so," he said, "A friend of yours came here this morning looking for you. I wasn't sure if he was friend or foe until after he left."

"He?" I repeated in confusion, because I knew it wasn't possible for anyone other than Gold or Vaala to look for me during the day. "Are you sure?"

"I may not get around as much as most other people, but I'm fairly certain I know a man when I see one. He was a tall fellow with a dark suit, matching hat, black hair and beard."

"Jigen..." I realized out loud.

"Yes, I think that was his name," he said as he showed me the item he was carrying, which turned out to be an undamaged cloaker, "He left this behind and asked me to give you a message."

"And what is that?" I asked as he handed Jigen's cloaker to me.

I knew instantly that it was his because it smelled of the tobacco he so constantly smoked.

"He said, 'I told you so.'"

I put the cloaker on my wrist and turned it on. I chuckled, knowing the image that was placed on me. I looked down at the old priest and smiled.

"Thank you, Father Mulcahy," I said, "For everything."

He nodded and smiled back to me.

"Just remember that God is always with you," he said and motioned his hand to me again, "May you go with His blessings."

I nodded as I began to walk up the aisle, out the door, and on my way back home.

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(Mac)

Everyone had once again gathered in the lab, looking to Gold lying silent on the gurney. I cleaned and bandaged the wound on her head so she could properly heal. Nearest to her, of course, was Jigen, sitting in the second chair. Markl sat on the table with little Unico in his lap. Everyone else stood where they could find room.

"It looks like a bad mix of magics to me," Markl said.

"What do you mean 'a bad mix of magics'?" Vaala asked.

"Master Howl always told me that it's really dangerous to mix magic together when you don't know how to do it properly," he explained, "I'm pretty sure that Gold already has some magic on her because of how she changes every day. She's a gargoyle at night, and then during the day she changes into a human."

"Yeah, and...?" Red replied impatiently.

"And if it's magic that's doing that, then it might've gotten confused when Unico turned her into a human."

"What?" Boober replied, "Now I'm confused."

"In other words," Vaala said, "She went from human to human when she should've gone from human to gargoyle. The spells got crossed and started going nuts."

"Well, that would explain the pain she felt," I said, "The one spell trying to keep her human while the other tries to perform it's regular function of making her gargoyle. It would certainly support Markl's theory of Gold having some form of magic in her DNA to begin with."

"So you're saying she was born with some spell already on her?" Jigen asked.

"Ugh... Jigen?" Gold moaned as she slowly regained consciousness.

"Hey," he replied as he rolled the chair closer to her, "You alright?"

"You know what?" she said as she sat up on the gurney with her hand on her head, "This 'waking up with a headache' thing is starting to get old. What happened?"

"You just about fell off the roof is what happened," Vaala answered, "And I almost went with you when I tried to catch you. It's a good thing Jigen's as quick as he is. If he didn't catch ME, we both would've died tonight."

"And it would've been all my fault," Unico added, hanging his head in shame. "I didn't realize this would cause so much harm. I need to change you all back so this will all be fixed."

"Well, is your magic all charged up again?" Markl asked.

"Yes, it is," he nodded, "And I think the sooner I fix things, the better off everyone will be."

"Well then, I suggest you all gather in the statue room for that," I said, "Not that I mind having the lot of you in here, but if this does the same to us as it did the last time, the lab will be rather crowded with sleeping bodies."

"That sounds like a good idea," Vaala agreed.

"Yeah, I sure don't wanna go to sleep right here," Red agreed as she she began to walk out.

Everyone followed suit, and I watched as they all left. I looked over to Krypto, who was still happily gnawing on his oversized bone, which I noticed was more than half gone already.

"It shouldn't be too long before you're back to being yourself again," I said, "I'm sure Markl would like that. Then perhaps we can go back to having some level of normality, or at the very least as close to it as we can achieve here."

After I finished saying that, I found myself opening my mouth quite widely as a yawn found its way out.

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(Vaala)

We all walked into the statue room, and everyone spread out and each found a spot in the room. Markl put Unico down on the floor so he could walk. He galloped on his little unicorn legs to the center of the room, and then he stopped and slowly looked around at everyone.

"Ugh..." Jigen groaned. "I didn't think I'd ever feel this sleepy again."

"Is that what that is?" Red asked and then yawned.

"We have been up since before sunrise," Gold pointed out.

"Just imagine how I feel," I said, "I never went to sleep when you guys got changed, so I've been up longer than any of you."

"So why don't you go to bed?" Boober asked.

"I will when this is all done," I replied. "I wanna make sure everything turns out all right."

"Is everyone ready?" Unico asked.

"Ready as we'll ever be," Jigen said.

"Yeah, let's just get it over with," Red added.

"Alright," Unico said as he bowed his head and his horn started glowing white.

That white light then filled the room until I couldn't see anything. I was pushed backwards into the wall as a whirlwind of magic filled every inch of the room. After a few seconds, the light just poofed away, and I could see again. Everyone was again unconscious, only this time they were all changed back to their regular forms.

"He did it," I thought as I looked down at Unico, who amazingly was still conscious, although he was panting pretty hard.

"Unico?" I said as I walked over and knelt down beside him.

He slowly lifted his head and turned it in my direction. He looked really tired.

"I'm okay," he panted, "But I'm exhausted."

"Well, given the fact that you're still conscious," I said, "It means you've gotten a lot stronger from all of this. So if you ever do anything this big again, it should be like nothing to you."

I picked him up, holding him in my arms like a plush doll, and carried him all the way to the living room.

"Vaala?" he said.

"Yeah?"

"How do you know so much about us?" he asked. "About Avalon and the laws of Lord Oberon?"

"Let's just say I've got a close relationship with the third race."

I sat down on the couch and set him down on one of the cushions next to me.

"Oh," he said as he lay down on the cushion.

"You've obviously been taught a valuable lesson from all this."

"I've learned a lot from all this," he said, "I think I understand now why Lord Oberon doesn't want us to use our magic for things like this. I thought that I was helping you by turning them into humans, but it turns out that I was actually doing more harm than good. I can see now that what I did was really wrong, even though my intentions were in all the right places."

"Spoken like a true fey," Vaala said, "I'm sure it would make Oberon really happy to hear you say that."

"Indeed it does," said a deep voice from seemingly nowhere.

A large magical portal appeared in front of us, and out of it stepped someone who pretty much resembled a blue vampire with red and gold armor, pointed ears, and white hair tied back in a long ponytail.

"You've done well, Unico," he said, "You've--"

"OBERON!" I screamed with excitement as I leapt from the couch and nearly tackled him with the hug I was giving him.

"What in the...?" he replied, "Vaala? What on Earth are you doing here?"

"Grandpa sent me here on an errand," I answered, still hugging him.

"I see," he said as he tried to pry me off, "Do you mind?"

"Oh fine," I replied as I let go and sat back on the couch, "You mean Queen Bitch-A-Lot hasn't told you about what's been going on here?"

"I am perfectly aware of the goings on in New Liberty," he said, "I just wasn't aware that you had any kind of involvement in it. Neither your grandfather nor Titania have made any mention of you being here."

"Well, I can understand Titania not telling you anything," I said, "Cuz she'll only tell you something when it's convenient for her to let you know about it. I mean geez, just because I didn't inherit any of her magic doesn't mean she has to be such a bitch."

"That's enough," he said, raising his hand, "We are not here to discuss such things. We only came here to take Unico away from here."

"We?" I repeated, "Are you still doing that stupid 'referring to yourself as we instead of I' thing?"

"It is not your concern how we address ourself."

"But it sounds so STUPID," I said, "Honestly, I can't take you seriously when you talk like that."

He rolled his eyes and sneered at me.

"Oh, very well," he said, "_I_ came here for Unico."

Unico sat quivering on the cushion, staring up at Oberon.

"Where are you gonna take him?" I asked.

"To where he can begin his training," he answered, "And learn more of the ways of Avalon and the powers he possesses."

"S-s-so you're not gonna banish me?" Unico asked in a small and quiet voice.

"Banish you?" Oberon repeated, eyebrow raised.

"He said after he came here that you were gonna banish him," I explained, "Because he wanted to use his magic to help people."

"I was to do no such thing," he said, "Unico had come to me with his thoughts and I simply stated my laws against such things and the consequences of violating them. I had my back turned for a second as I explained this, and when I turned back to face him, he was gone."

"A human took me," Unico explained, "And brought me here."

"A human?" Oberon repeated, "But who could--?"

As he was saying that, a thought clicked in my head and I busted up laughing.

"I fail to see the humor in this, Vaala," Oberon said.

"It's so obvious!" I laughed, "It was all Grandpa. He brought Unico here because he knew you'd follow him here."

"And thus bringing me to you," Oberon added and then sighed, "You can clearly tell it was Puck who taught him all he knows."

"Yeah, isn't it great?" I laughed, "Puck's the best. Why don't you let him go from those binds you put him in? I mean, having Owen around is great and all, but I'm sure there'll eventually be a time when there aren't any more Xanatos's to attempt at teaching magic to, especially after the overwhelming failure with me and my lack of fey magic. So say, if Grandpa and I should just suddenly die, would Puck just be stuck as Owen forever?"

"Puck's fate was decided long ago," he said, "The punishment was meant to be eternal, and thus it shall. It was his own actions that brought this fate upon him, and you know that very well. As you did every time you've brought this to me. You should know by now that my decisions are final and cannot be reversed."

"Unless Titania says otherwise," I scoffed, "I swear, what do you see in her?"

"She is my queen," he said with a loving tone and then gave me a stern look, "And YOUR flesh and blood."

"If I'm that important, she wouldn't be so indifferent towards me," I said, "She loves my grandpa cuz he's gotten so powerful with his magic, but when she learned about my lack of powers, she wanted nothing to do with me."

"As you've said many times before," he replied.

The TV then swung, open and a very sleepy Gold stumbled in from behind it. Oberon turned to look at her as she walked in.

"Hey, Vaala," she yawned.

She shut the door behind her, and her sleepiness instantly disappeared as she saw the seven-foot-tall fairy king in front of her.

"Okay, who the hell is he?" she asked.

"You..." Oberon said as he leaned closer to her, looking her dead in the eye, making her lean back nervously.

"What about me?" she asked.

"I sense her magic in you," he said, "Tell me where I can find her?"

"What?!" she asked, "What are you talking about? Vaala, who the hell is this nutbar?"

"This 'Nutbar'," he retorted, "Is none other than Lord Oberon."

"Woah," she replied and then looked over to me, "Oberon, huh?"

I nodded back.

"You have encountered Terra," he explained. "She is one of our younger children who had just become ready for life outside of Avalon. She went missing not long after she left. She has been missing from us for more than thirty of your mortal years. I can sense her magic flowing within you. You have been with her. Where can I find her?"

"I don't know what the hell you're talking about!" she yelled, "I've never met this Terra! You and Unico are the only fey I've ever met in my life!"

"That is not possible," he replied. "You had to have been with her at some point in order for her magic to be placed on you."

"Maybe it happened when she was still an egg," I said, "Before she was taken to the orphanage."

He looked back at me and slowly straightened himself back up.

"I suppose that could be a possibility," he sighed and then looked at Gold again, "What is your name, child?"

"Uh, Gold Demona..." she said and pointed to herself, "Sir?"

"Demona?" he repeated, eyebrow raised, "Interesting."

"Why is it so interesting?" she replied, "So I was named for some bloodthirsty, human-hating bitch. How is that interesting?"

"It is not of great importance," he said and then turned to Unico, "There are other matters I need to tend to. Come, Unico. Let us go."

"Just a moment," he replied and then turned to me, "Thank you, Vaala, for everything you taught me."

"No problem," I said, holding my thumb up. "I'm just glad all that information wasn't wasted on me."

"And tell Markl that I'm glad we got to meet each other," he added. "And everyone else, too."

"I'll tell him," I replied.

"And I'm sorry about your friend," he added, "I hope everything will be okay for you."

"I'm sure they will," I said, "Thanks."

He nodded and then turned back to Oberon.

"Alright," he said, "I'm ready now."

"Good," Oberon replied as he reopened the portal he stepped out of.

A pair a small fairy wings appeared on Unico's back, and Oberon watched as Unico flew off the couch, twirled around in a few circles, and swooped into the portal. Oberon then turned his gaze to me.

"We should chat more often, Vaala," he said.

"You always say that," I said, "And then you can never find time in your busy schedule, and we end up having to resort to something like this."

"What can I say?" he said with a smile as he slowly stepped into the portal, "It is not an easy thing being the ruler of an entire race. Take care, child."

And with that, they were both gone, and so was the portal. Gold looked at me with the most bewildered look I'd ever seen on her.

"Vaala, what the hell was that all about?!" Gold asked.

"Nothing much," I said, "He just came to get Unico."

"Yeah, but--"

She was interrupted when the front door unlatched and swung open. Imagine the total shock on our faces when we saw who stepped in from behind it.

"Jigen?" Gold asked in confusion.

He looked up at Gold, and then turned off his cloaker. Neither of us could believe what we were seeing. I got up from the couch and we both started stepping closer.

"I've come home," he said, smiling at the two of us.

"Silverbolt!" I yelled as we both ran over and hugged him.

Tears started running down my face as he returned our hugs.

"We were all so worried," Gold said.

"We thought you were dead!" I sobbed.

"I nearly was," he said, "But what matters is I'm not. I'm here, back home with my clan, and I have no intention of leaving it."

"Welcome home, Silver," Gold replied.

"Yeah," I agreed, "Welcome home."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Prime Ruler Bethovich)

"Have you found her yet?" I asked.

"No, Boss," answered Quickstrike in a saddened tone, "It's like she'd gone and vanished into thin air."

"She was trained to do such," I reminded, "She was, as you recall, my covert assassin."

"Yeah, I know," he replied, "So, what're we gonna do now?"

"Since our initial plan has failed due to our spy's act of treachery," I said, "I believe it is now time to move on to Plan B."

"Plan B?" he said, "You ain't never mentioned a Plan B, Boss."

"That is because I only began to put it together after I began to suspect that Blackarachnia was possibly turning on us. I will send HK-47 there to assist you on this mission."

"HK-47?!" he replied with a much more energetic tone in his voice, "Oh, oh! OH! You mean we'll finally gets to blast the shit out of 'em?! If yer sendin' the robot, that's GOTTA be whatcher gettin' at!"

"Calm yourself, Colonel," I said, "I have not yet given you the details of the plan. Yes, you will both have the opportunity to kill, but you must do so following my outline. Attention to detail is imperative."

"No problem, Boss," he said, "So long's I git my share of blood, I don't care how we goes abouts it."

"Good," I said, "He will rendezvous with you fairly soon. He will tell you the plan when he arrives. Until then, do as you have been doing. Stay silent and vigilant."

"Can do, Boss," he said, "Over an' out."

And with that, the communication had ended. I turned to my Hunter Killer android, who returned his gaze through his lighted red eyes.

"You know the plan, do you not?" I asked.

"Affirmative:" he said, "Every detail is recorded in my memory bank, Master. It should prove to be quite the bloodbath. I look so much forward to executing it."

"Of course you do," I grinned to him, "It is what you were made to do."

"Query: What is to be done with the traitor should we find her again?"

"Her betrayal has made her no different from any other gargoyle in New Liberty," I said, "If you or Quickstrike should see her again, you should treat her as such."

"As you wish, Master. I will leave for Paradigm City at once."

"You are dismissed."

He then turned and walked out of my office, leaving me to my thoughts.

"The time is now upon us," I thought, "To see if we have in fact finally found my missing piece."

I reached to the sanitation wipes on my desk. I took one and wiped it around the gash that had appeared on my forehead eariler in the evening, wiping off the blood on my face and disinfecting the wound.

"You are close," I said, "I can feel it."


	29. Chapter 28: Moving On

Gold Demona

**Chapter XXVIII**

Moving On...

(Mac)

(A few nights later...)(January, 2111 A.D.)

The entire apartment was in a bustle. For the past few nights, we've all been busy in preparation of our departure. After Silverbolt had told us of his encounter with Blackarachnia, we knew the time was upon us to leave as soon as we were able. Everyone else had just finished packing everything they intended on taking with them. It was only a matter of waiting for me to finish preparing the lab for transport.

Almost all of my equipment had been shut off and powered down. I had just begun to power down the cloaker machine when the computer began to beep at me. I picked up the call, and Mr. Piccolo appeared on the screen.

"Aye, what is it, Piccolo," I greeted, rather annoyed at the sudden hindrance.

"And what sort of greeting is that, I would like to know, ah?" he asked with a rather stern expression on his face.

"We're in a wee bit of a pinch at the moment," I answered, "We've brought ourselves into a position where we need to evacuate."

"And when were you planning on telling this to the rest of us, huh?" said a young female voice as the screen split into five and Fio appeared on one of the screens. On the other three were Jake, Bernard, and Bianca.

"I was not aware that this was a conference call," I said.

"I figured this was something to be discussed with the entire group, luv," Jake said.

"Aye, Jake," I replied, "But I charged you with telling everyone my situation. This call is going to slow everything down. We've already fallen behind as it is."

"So it's true then?" Bernard asked, "You've been caught?"

"I'm afraid so," I said, "And the sooner we disappear from sight, the better the chances for our survival."

"So you're to head to Volgograd Prime then?" Piccolo asked.

"Aye," I answered and then paused. "That's the plan."

"We wish you zhe best of luck, dahling," Bianca said.

"Especially given the weird circumstances in the media," Bernard added.

"What's this now?" I asked.

"Eh?" Piccolo replied, "We've all noticed a strange change in the media as of late. You have not?"

"Piccolo, you of all people know that I don't watch television," I said.

"No, but your friends do," he reminded, "If they noticed it, they would have surely passed it on to you."

"Get to the point, then," I urged, "I don't have all night."

"Well here's the thing, luv," Jake said, "In the past few months we've noticed a sudden stop in all news stories pertaining to gargoyle slaughters."

"There haven't been any reported killings on the television, the newspapers, or even the tabloids," Bernard added, "There isn't even mention of the WORD 'gargoyle' anywhere in the media."

"That is odd," I remarked.

"What's even stranger," Piccolo continued, "Is that all of us have still been finding gargoyles on the scanners. Now more than ever we're finding whole living clans, now more often than lone survivors."

"Especially most recently," Fio added.

This peaked my interest.

"So they've stopped killing clans," I concluded, "But why?"

"Zhat is what we were hoping you could tell us, dahling," Bianca replied, "As relieved as I am zhat we're finding fewer and fewer deaths, I am worried zhat zhis is zhe beginning of somezhing far worse to come."

"Aye, that it could," I replied.

"It's almost as if their focus has been placed somewhere else," Piccolo said.

"Like on us?" Bernard replied, a nervous tone growing in his voice.

"Don't start with that, Berno," Jake said, "I've got a bit of good news to cheer us all up."

"Any bit of good news is helpful at this point," I said, "What is it?"

"Heya!" I heard the familiar gritted voice of Inspector Zenigata as he shoved his way into view beside Jake.

"Inspector," I greeted, "Have ya found what you've sought?"

"You bet I have!" he replied as he held up a computer disk for us to see. "Right here!"

"Where'd you go around finding a data disk?" Fio asked, "It's not like they just hand them out to the tourists at the Prime Capital Building."

"It's the funniest thing," he replied, "All this time, I've searched in vain at the Capital Building. On all the floors that are accessible to the public, they didn't have ANYTHING that was any kind of useful. It's been frustratin', lemme tell ya. But just last night, I bump into this chick on the way back home from the building and she just hands me this disk. Of course, at first, I suspected something fishy about it. So I tested it in a private computer not connected to any network, and it actually did have everything I needed to plead my case. This right here's the ticket to our freedom!"

"Zhat's wonderful, dahling!" Bianca replied.

"Yeah, that's great news," Fio added.

"And who was this lass that handed you this information, Inspector?" I asked. "Just out of curiosity."

"She didn't stick around long enough for me to catch any details," he said, "She was real fast. Snuck up on me out of nowhere, stuck the disk in my talons, and disappeared without sayin' a word. Only thing I could catch was that she was a woman."

"How peculiar," I said. "Well, it's good to know there's some light in all this mess. I hate to cut this short, but we're running late."

"Roight-o, luv," Jake said as he shoved the Inspector away from view, "I'll see ya when I see ya then?"

"Aye," I said, "Although we may not be able to leave tonight, given this delay."

"Well, at any rate, we all wish you the best of luck, my dear," Piccolo replied.

"Yeah," Fio agreed, "Good luck, Mac."

"You'll need it," Bernard added.

"Bernard!" Bianca scolded.

"No, he's right," I replied, "We'll most certainly need it. All of us will."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Boober)

It had to have been the longest walk I ever had to that nightclub. I wasn't looking forward to quitting my job. Despite how much I complained about the danger, I liked my job. It was a strange irony that I was able to really be myself while wearing my disguise. I really didn't want to quit, but I couldn't just suddenly disappear without telling anyone where I was going.

I walked around the corner to where the club was. As I got there, I noticed a familiar and very large Japanese man standing in front of the door.

"Tohru?" I said to him as I walked up.

"Freddie-san," he greeted back with a cheerful smile on his face, "How is your evening?"

"It could be better," I replied and tried to look around him, "What's going on?"

"Rafiki-sama has decided to close the Upendi," he answered.

"What? Why?"

"He says it is time to move on," he answered. "Since you too will be leaving shortly with your clan."

"So he already knows?"

He nodded.

"Rafiki-sama also extends his sincerest apologies for not being able to properly say 'good-bye' to you. As we speak, he and the girls make preparations for the closing. He knew you would come tonight to announce your resignation, so I have been instructed to wait here for you."

"Well, this certainly makes me feel a little better about quitting," I said. "And it makes things a lot easier for me."

"That was the intention," he said, "It has been our intention from the very beginning to be of assistance to you and your clan."

"You've all helped me more than I could ever hope to repay," I replied, "Thank you. And if you could pass that to Rafiki, Luna, and Belldandy, that'd be great."

"Of course, Freddie-san," he said. "I will extend your gratitude to them when they've finished closing."

"And since I'm officially not working here anymore," I added with a laugh, "You don't have to call me Freddie anymore."

"Of course, Boober-san," he smiled. "I wish you and your clan a safe journey."

"Thank you," I replied and started to walk away, but then I paused for a moment and turned back to him, "There's just one thing that's always bugged me about you."

"And what is that, Boober-san?"

"You're bigger than any human I've ever seen in my life," I commented in a somewhat nervous tone, "How is that possible?"

He laughed for a few moments and then smiled at me.

"My mommy fed me very well," he said.

It sounded very strange to hear the word 'mommy' come out of such a large man with such a deep voice.

"I see," I replied.

"You should return to your clan, Boober-san. They will worry."

"Yes," I replied and continued walking. "Good-bye, Tohru."

"Farewell, Boober-san," he called back.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Jigen)

"I really wish you didn't insist on coming with me," I said. "I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to you while we're out here."

"I can take care of myself," she said, "I'm not completely helpless."

"I didn't say you were," I replied, puffing another cloud of smoke from my cigarette.

I opened the door to the pawnshop and let her in, walking in behind her. Jeebs was at his usual place behind the counter.

"Jigen! Long time no see!" he greeted, "Finally got over your--"

"Don't have time for chitchat, Jeebs," I said as I pulled out my gun, "I need a box of your best ammo, preferably armor-piercing, and five times the supply of cigarettes."

"Woah woah, hold it! What's the emergency?"

"We're leaving," I answered, "And I'm expecting a fight along the way."

"Oh, don't tell me you went and got yourself caught?"

"I told you I don't have time to talk," I growled and pointed my gun at his head and pulled the hammer back, "Just get me what I asked."

"Jigen, what are you doing?" Gold asked with a worried tone in her voice.

"Hey, come on!" Jeebs chuckled nervously as he reached down and pulled out a large box of ammunition and several cases of cigarettes, "You don't wanna do this in front of your girlfriend, do ya? She seems like a really nice girl, and it'd probably--"

I pulled the trigger, shooting him square in the head, causing it to explode. He fell to the floor with a loud thud.

"Jigen!" Gold yelled. "Are you insane?!"

"Relax," I said as I put my gun away, "He'd not dead."

"What do you mean he's not dead?!" she yelled, "You made his whole head explode right off his neck!"

"Human heads don't explode like that when you shoot them, Gold," I explained, "Even with a magnum at close range. He's just being dramatic. He only fell down to add to the effect."

I leaned over the counter and looked down at him.

"Come on, Jeebs, get up," I said to the headless body below. "You're not fooling anybody. We need to finish this."

"Oh, all right," he squeaked as he lifted himself back up and a wad of flesh started to grow out from his neck.

Gold watched in disgust as the wad slowly formed itself into a head. Jeebs shook himself as he finished growing his head back.

"You didn't even bother bleeding this time," I commented. "I tell you what, that's real convincing."

"Blood's a pain in the ass to clean up," he said, "And by the way, asshole, that really stung. Thanks a lot."

"Yer welcome," I replied, "Now let's finish this so we can get out of here."

"What the hell?!" Gold replied.

"I'll explain later," I said as Jeebs opened the ammo box and pulled out one of the bullets.

"This here, my friend, is the good stuff," he said as he held it up with his thumb and index finger. "Armor-piercing, explodes on contact, messy stuff."

"This from the stash?" I asked as he handed it to me.

"Of course," he said. "So this is all you need? Ammo and cigarettes?"

"Yup," I said as I handed the bullet back to him, "Just business as usual."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Vaala)

I was ready to go. Everything was packed. My clothes, my hygiene products, my Super GameThing, my Oberon plushie. The only thing I had left to do was wait for everyone else.

Red and Silverbolt were waiting with me in the living room while Mac finished getting the lab ready. I looked at the big Masterview Laser TV that has served as our secret door for more than half a year.

"Too bad we can't take it with us," I thought.

Silverbolt sat on one of the stools by the kitchen bar counter, arms crossed and head hung in thought. Red was lying on the couch, shaking her foot in a rhythmic impatience. I was pacing around on the floor. All this waiting was driving us crazy.

"What the hell is taking so long?" Red growled. "We should've been long gone by now."

"It shouldn't be long now," Silverbolt replied. "Boober, Jigen, and Gold should be on their way back by now. As soon as they're back and Mac is finished with the lab, we'll go."

"Mac's almost ready," Markl announced as he and Krypto walked into the living room.

Krypto had finished with his bone only a few nights before, so he was back to his normal self. Markl already had his cloak up on both of them.

"She says she just needs to set up the--"

BOOM!

We all flinched for a moment. Then Mac walked into the living room carrying a small device in her talon. The same device she had with her when she first moved in.

"The lab's packed now?" I asked, pointing to the device.

"Aye, eht's done," she said, putting it in her coat pocket. "We cahn leave whin ev'rehone ilse has retarned frohm thir errands."

"Let's hope they get here fast," I said, "Any later and we'll have to wait until tomorrow night to leave."

Then the door opened, and Boober stepped in from behind it.

"So how'd it go?" I asked.

"It was a lot easier than I thought it was going to be," he said.

"You didn't really wanna quit, did you?" I realized out loud.

"He was closing the nightclub anyway," he replied, "I would've been out of a job at any rate. So it really wouldn't have mattered."

"Well, that's convenient," Red said.

"So where are Gold and Jigen?" Boober asked.

"Jigen said he had to go get something at the pawn shop," I answered, "And Gold went with him. They left not long after you did, so they shouldn't be too much longer coming back."

"We don't know how much further the pawn shop is from here than the nightclub," Silverbolt pointed out, "They may take a while."

"Not to mention it's out in the ghetto," I added.

"Uh-h-h-h-h," Boober shivered. "I suddenly got a very bad feeling."

"Oh, don't start with that," Red retorted, "Not now."

"No, something's wrong," he said, "I just know it."

Red rolled her eyes and growled in an exasperated sigh.

"If it will help you feel better, Boober," Silverbolt said, "I can go that way and make sure they make it back safely."

"You sure you wanna go alone?" I asked.

"I should be plenty enough help to escort them back," he said. "Hopefully, this feeling Boober is having is just paranoia."

"I really hope that's the case," Boober replied. "For all our sakes."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Jigen)

The moment we left the shop, I got a really bad feeling. Like we were being watched. Really closely, too. And a lot of times, when I'd get this kind of feeling, it was usually right. It had me looking over our shoulders every few steps we took, holding my box of ammo at ready in case I needed to start shooting.

"You've gotten really tense all of a sudden," Gold said.

"Something's watching us," I replied.

"Something like what?"

"Not sure," I answered, "But can tell it's close by."

A few more steps, and I stopped for a moment. I listened, and then—

"RUN!" I yelled and shoved Gold away from me so we split apart just as shots started firing where we were standing.

I pulled out my gun and fired to where the shots were coming from, but I didn't hit anything. The shooter had flown out of hiding and hovered down to the middle of the street.

It was a humanoid-shaped robot, made of a copper-colored metal. It had slanted, bright red, glowing eyes and jets attached to its back and feet.

"Statement:" it said, "Not bad for a meatbag. Had I been stationary, you would have certainly hit me, not that it would have done you any good."

He pointed his rifle at me, and I started running again just as he started firing. I fired two rounds at him, and he flew off to the side to dodge them, the bullets barely scraping his side.

"Damn, he's fast," I thought as I looked away for a second to see where Gold went while at the same time trying not to get shot.

She was standing in an alleyway watching us fight.

"Gold! Get out of here!" I yelled to her as I fired a couple more shots at the robot.

A moment later, I saw her run out of the alley, and so did the robot. He immediately turned his attention to her.

"Target sighted," it said, "Engaging pursuit."

"Oh no you don't!" I yelled and fired another round at it, this time I hit it in the head, which did nothing but make a loud dinging noise as it ricocheted away. "Dammit!"

I quickly emptied the shells and started pulling bullets out of the box.

"Statement:" it said as it pointed the rifle at Gold, "Time to die, Meatbag."

"NO!" I yelled as I finished reloading my gun and started shooting again.

I managed to land three shots in its shooting arm, but not before it managed to get some shots out.

"Argh!" it yelled as its arm and gun fell to the ground below.

Its eyes flared at me for a moment. I looked over to Gold, who was lying on her belly bleeding on the ground.

"Gold!" I yelled and started to run to her.

I could see her struggling to lift her head to look at me. She was covered in blood. I was halfway to her when I heard some shots behind me, and then my legs, tail, shoulder, and wing stung like hell as I lost my footing and collapsed.

With my good arm, which also happened to be holding my gun, I tried to drag myself further. I could see her. She was just a few yards in front of me. She had her talon up, reaching for me. Then I saw the robot land down beside her, with its rifle in its remaining arm. The robot put the end of the barrel on Gold's back and used it to push the bottom of her shirt up.

"Gold!" I groaned as kept dragging myself closer to her.

"Proclamation: Target confirmed, General! This is the meatbag the master seeks."

The robot then pointed the gun higher up on her back and fired into her upper torso.

"No..." I could only think as her head fell limp onto the concrete.

I struggled to get closer to her as the robot used its good arm to lift her lifeless body and carry her as it fired up its jets. It pointed its rifle right at me.

"Acclamation:" it said to me, "I must admit, meatbag, that you were a challenge for me. If you were an android, you may have been my equal. But now it is time for us to end this so I can deliver to my master the missing piece to his puzzle. Time to die."

I could barely lift my arm, let alone aim my gun. I shut my eyes and waited for my fate. But all I could hear was a series of clicks. I looked up and noticed that the robot's rifle was jammed.

"Objurgation:" it growled and threw the rifle away, "Agh! Confounded meatbag weaponry. General?"

"I'll take care of it, HK," said a gritted voice from behind me, "You just worry about gettin' her to the boss."

"Agreement:" the robot replied and started flying away, "I'll let you handle this meatbag."

"Must be the guy who shot me," I thought as the robot flew away and out of sight, carrying Gold's body away with it. "Gold..."

Then a big combat boot appeared in front of me, and then in front of my face appeared a gun barrel that looked like it was coming out of the mouth of a snake.

"And now yer turn ta die," he said.

"Then kill me already," I said.

"Don't mind if I do."

I braced myself, and then I heard a loud noise that sounded like a cross between a lion's roar and a wolf's howl. The next thing I knew, a big gray blur passed by, and the guy with the snake gun was on the ground several feet away, throwing Silverbolt off of him.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Silverbolt)

He threw me aside, and I flipped over so I could land on my feet. Slowly, he rose to his feet, and I could see him more clearly. He wore a set of armor slightly similar to my own, but with a gold and turquoise color scheme. The gun he carried was a large full-automatic machine gun, decorated with a large cobra head over the barrel.

"It's you!" I said to him, recognizing the mask on his face. "The man from the nightclub!"

"That's Colonel Quickstrike to you," he said.

"We were talking about the same girl that night."

"What the hell you squawkin' about?!"

"You said that your girl left you for someone else," I replied, "This girl was Blackarachnia, wasn't it?"

He glared at me for a moment, and then his eyes flared in shock.

"YOU!" he yelled and began to spray bullets at me.

I ran on all fours dodging the rain of fire, zigzagging every which way to throw his aim off.

"You're the one that's been pesterin' her!" he yelled as he continued firing, "You're the monster done took 'er away from me!"

"You can't possibly mean that she left you for me!" I yelled back as I ran, "She tried to kill me!"

"Ha! If she was really TRYIN', she'da done it! She's a frickin assassin! Killin's her job! If she was really wantin' ta kill you, you'd be dead already!"

Finally, the firing stopped, but only because he ran out of ammunition. He attached that gun to his belt and pulled out another. It was a smaller gun with two barrels that forked apart, and were decorated to look like insect pincers. On the back of the gun was attached a small piece that curved upwards and forwards, serving as a third barrel.

"You met the cobra," he said as he pointed this new gun to me, "Now meet the scorpion."

He pulled the trigger, and a set of laser beams came from the barrels. I ran to get away from them, pulling out my two swords.

"Ha! Bringin' swords to a gunfight?" he mocked as he fired a few more rounds and I ran.

I kept running, and he kept shooting. One beam had almost hit me, but I instinctively blocked it with one of my swords, deflecting the beam away.

"Dammit, beast, just die!" he yelled as he continued firing.

I ran closer, blocking each shot with my swords. When I was finally close enough to hit him, I sliced through his gun and knocked it out of his hand. I then pushed him into the nearest wall, placing one sword at his neck and the other pointed at his shoulder.

He only glared at me as I pressed the blade on his throat, careful not to actually cut him.

"Whatcha waitin' for?" he growled. "Slice me up already."

"I don't want to kill you," I said, "Not unless I'm forced to."

"Pfeh," he snorted, "I didn't think you gargoyles were such pussies."

"If I let you go, will you leave?"

"Heh, sure. Yer the one with the power here."

Slowly I pulled my swords away and stepped backward. He rubbed his neck for a moment and turned to walk away. I turned to Jigen, who had been watching the fight from where he lay bleeding. He was still fully conscious, but he could barely hold himself up. I began to walk towards him.

"Behind you!" he yelled.

I whirled around and swung my sword just as Quickstrike ran up with a large knife in his hand. He managed to jab his knife into my shoulder as I drove my sword through the side of his armor just beside his arm. He collapsed a moment later, letting go of the knife still lodged in my shoulder. I pulled my sword out as he fell, dying as he landed on the pavement. I looked at my bloodstained sword and hung my head.

"I'm sorry," I said as I sheathed both of my swords, though I had difficulty with one of them due to the knife in my shoulder.

I reached up and pulled it out. I turned back to Jigen, walked over to him, and knelt down beside him. Slowly he looked up at me, breathing fairly hard.

"We need to leave," I said, "They may send reinforcements."

"She's gone," he growled. "She's gone."

"We'll get her back, Jigen," I said as I began to help him up. "But we can't do that lying on the street."

"I watched her die, Silver," he growled, wincing as I lifted him up, "Killed by a frickin' robot."

"So what will you do?" I asked as I began to push us forward in a slow and dragging walk.

"I don't know yet," he answered as he then stopped our walk and looked back at Quickstrike, "Wait a second."

"What is it?"

"Bring me closer to him."

"Why do you want to get closer?"

"Just do it."

I turned us around and brought us closer to Quickstrike's body. He peered down at him, particularly at his back, part of which was exposed from under his armor. There was a strange mark at the base of his back. A tattoo of some kind of an elaborate design of curves and circles.

"Gold had that same mark on her back," Jigen said, "And so did that monster that attacked us at the mines."

"What do you think this means?" I asked.

"I have no idea," he replied, "But I bet I know who can figure it out."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Vaala)

We were all starting to worry. It'd been an hour since Silverbolt left to meet with Gold and Jigen, and none of them have come back yet. Boober anxiously paced the length of the living room behind the couch. Mac and Red sat on the couch, Markl on the floor with Krypto, and I sat on one of the stools at the bar counter.

"I don't like this," Boober said. "They should've all been back by now. Something terrible has happened. I just know it."

"Boober, shut up!" Red yelled, "Saying things like that doesn't help us any! And stop pacing! You're making me nervous!"

"I can't help it," he said, still pacing. "I just can't shake this awful feeling."

"Wih're ohll fellin' eht, lad," Mac replied, "Thes ehsn't easy foor aneh ohf ohs."

"I don't suppose we'll be able to leave if they DO come back," Markl said.

"There's not enough time to get anywhere before the sun rises," I replied, "We'd have to stay here another night."

Krypto suddenly perked up and ran over to the door. Hopeful, we watched the door as it swung open, revealing Silverbolt with a very bloody Jigen hanging on his shoulder.

"Holy shit!" I yelled as everyone gathered around them.

"Bahck ohff!" Mac yelled as she shoved everyone away, "Gehv them room."

"Jigen!" Boober yelled, "What happened?"

"Where's Gold?" Markl asked.

Jigen's lips curled into a pained sneer as he hung his head and sobbed. Silverbolt looked up at us.

"She's gone," Silver answered, "They killed her and took her away. We barely made it back alive."

"Dead?" I replied, "No, that can't be right."

Jigen sobbed, though his face was straining with the physical pain he was probably feeling.

"Oh God, I knew it," Boober said as he turned away and leaned over on the counter.

"We don't have time," Silverbolt added, "We have to leave. Now. The Hunters are sure to be on their way here by now."

"Where the hell are we supposed to go?" Red asked, "There's not enough time for us to get anywhere before sunrise!"

"And Jigen's in no condition to travel," I added. "Physically or emotionally."

"Wait..." Boober said, "I think I know a place."

"You do?" I asked.

"Yes," he answered, more sure of himself, "Yes, I'm pretty sure we can still go there. If it's not too late, we can stay there for the day."

"What are you talking about?" Red asked. "Where is this place?"

"I'll show you," he said, "But we have to go quickly."

"Agreed," Silverbolt replied, "We must hurry."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Boober)

I knocked on the apartment door as everyone waited behind me.

"Luna!" I called as I banged on the door. "Luna, are you there?"

The door opened, and Luna stood behind it.

"Boober," she greeted, "What's wrong? You look terrible."

"I am really sorry about this, Luna," I said, "But my clan needs a place to stay. We were planning on leaving town tonight, but something happened, and now we don't have time to get anywhere tonight, and this was the only other place I could think of for us to go where we could be safe until the next sunset."

She smiled at me and stepped aside, holding the door open.

"Come on in," she said and then looked past me to everyone else, "All of you."

I stepped inside, and everyone else reluctantly followed. I was fairly sure they didn't know what to think of this.

"Alright, keep it movin'!" Ruby barked as we all walked in, "Single file, everybody in! Hurry up! We don't have all night!"

"Are you TRYING to freak everybody out?" Nall asked, brow raised at Ruby as everyone gathered to gawk at the talking cats.

"Not one for keeping secrets, are you, Ruby?" I asked her.

"Nope," Nall answered.

"Oh, shut up," she replied.

"Alright, everyone's in," Luna announced, "Ruby, Nall."

"On it," Nall replied as he and Ruby both ran over to the front door and each sat to one side of it, looking like a pair of guardian statues.

"Good," Luna replied and went over to help Jigen, "Now let's get you to the couch."

"I'm still bleeding," Jigen said, "Sure you want me on it?"

"I can clean it up," she replied, "Don't worry about it. You just rest and relax."

"Thank you so much for this, Luna," I said, "You may have just saved our lives."

"We already told you, Boober," Luna replied as she helped Jigen onto the couch, "That's what we're here for."

"So who are you?" Vaala asked, "And how come your cats can talk?"

"And why is one of them pink?" Red asked.

"You mean Boober hasn't told you?" Luna replied with a surprised look on her face.

"Ye ahsk thaht ahs ehf ye hadn't nootessed the bahffled ixpressions ohn our fesses," Mac said.

"Well, I don't really blame him for not telling you," Luna replied, "Our secret's almost as important as yours."

"You're one of the third race, aren't you?" Markl asked, "All three of you are."

"Ya got that right!" Ruby called from her spot beside the door.

"You keep focused," Luna called back.

"Yeah yeah yeah, I know," Ruby replied.

"What are they doing?" I asked.

"Putting up an illusion and a barrier around the apartment," she answered, "They should be able to keep that up until tomorrow night. I promised to give them extra fish when this is done."

"So you knew we were coming?" I asked.

She nodded.

"I knew you would eventually need an alternate place to hide," she said, "So I had you come here on an errand so you'd know where to find me."

"I should've known," I chuckled.

"Wasn't there one more of you?" Luna asked.

We all just fell silent. I didn't want to really think about it just yet. I looked over to Jigen, lying on his back on the couch, looking away from everyone else. The sneer on his beak was an angry one.

"Jigen?" I asked. "Are you alright?"

"That robot's gonna die," he growled as his eyes started to glow, "I swear, when we get to the capital, I'm gonna track that thing down and blow it apart until there isn't even scrap to put it back together with. And after that, I'm going after the Prime Ruler."

"WHAT?!" we all exclaimed.

"You can't be serious!" Vaala yelled.

"The Prime Ruler sent that thing specifically to kill her," he said, "She was the target. After I destroy his robot, I'm going to kill HIM."

"Revenge isn't the answer, Jigen," Silverbolt said. "Assassinating the Prime Ruler is nearly impossible. It would be suicide to attempt it."

"Then I guess I'll be joining her when I get there," he said.

"Ehf yer did sit ohn honting tha Prime Rular, lad," Mac said, "Ye'll nehd a propar plahn."

"You got one?" Jigen asked, turning his gaze at her.

"Noht yet," she answered, "Boht Ah can mehk one whin we git to tha cahpettal. Ah'll have ma lahb aggin by thin, ahnd weh can go frohm thir."

"Alright," he said and laid back down, "I'll wait till then. That bastard's gonna pay for what he did."

"Jigen, are you sure this is what you wanna do?" Vaala asked, "I'm pretty sure this is not what Gold would've wanted for you."

"She's dead, Vaala," he said, "She was the only person I've ever felt this deeply for, and she's gone. I can't think of anything else to do."

"You need to rest, Jigen," Silverbolt said, "We all need this time to fully take in what has happened tonight. Gold was a very important part of this clan, and she will be greatly missed by all of us. Let us move on and continue to work towards our goals so her death will not have been in vain."


	30. Chapter 29: A Long Way To Go

Gold Demona

**Chapter XXIX**

A Long Way To Go

(Vaala)

(The next night...)(January, 2111 A.D.)

The trip was long and nerve-wracking. We had to take the long way to the bus stop, since there were Hunters all over the area around our former apartment building. And after spending four and a half long hours sitting in that bus, I was glad when we finally arrived at South Rock.

We made our way to an old run-down building, which I guessed was Piccolo's garage. The door opened almost as soon as we'd gotten there. The small old man at the door looked at us with a relieved look on his face.

"There you are!" Mr. Piccolo greeted in his subtle Italian accent, "We were all beginning to worry when you did not arrive last night. I was beginning to think we may have lost you. What happened?"

"Weh war... dillehd," Mac answered. "Thir wos ahn attahck, ahnd one ohf ohs dedn't mehk eht."

"Wha?" he replied and looked back to the rest of us, and then the expression on his face deeply saddened. "Oh no... She wasn't..."

"Ahm' afrid soo," Mac replied.

Jigen made a low growling sound, and his head sunk lower than it already was. He hadn't looked or spoken to any of us since sunset. I couldn't begin to imagine how much he must've been hurting inside.

"Oy, this is terrible news," Mr. Piccolo said, "A huge loss, indeed. Mr. Xanatos will not like this in the least."

"Ah doon't emagine he well," Mac replied.

"Oh boy," Piccolo replied as he stepped aside from the doorway, "Come in. I'm sure you're all tired from your trip, especially carrying such a heavy burden with you."

"Aye," Mac replied as we all walked in the door and gathered in the area that kinda served as the living room.

I was the last one to enter as Piccolo shut the door behind us.

"You are Mr. Xanatos' granddaughter, correct?" Piccolo asked me after he locked the door.

"Yeah," I answered.

"Although I wish we could have met under better circumstances," he said, "It's an honor to meet you, my dear."

"Thanks," I replied.

"Hey, Vaala!" Red called from the living room, "You have to come see this! Hurry!"

I ran over to the living room area, where everyone was looking at the TV, which was tuned to the news. And the story they had on was certainly not what I expected.

"...as New Liberty's investigators carefully look into last night's attempted assassination of Prime Ruler Goldari Macaro Bethovich," I heard the news anchor say as I started paying attention.

"What?!" I replied, more out of surprise than anything.

"Now at the Prime Capitol Building is our chief reporter, April O'Neil, with all the details," he said as the screen switched to the reporter, a slender brunette wearing a yellow jumpsuit, "April?"

"Thank you, Howard," said the brunette reporter. "Word of this attack has of course brought shock and a good level of fear here at the Capital Building. Most suspect the work of rebelling gargoyles, while others seem to think this was the work of an individual. I managed to snatch the very man who found the Prime Ruler after the incident."

The camera zoomed back to a military man standing next to her.

"Lieutenant Wes Janson," she said to him, "You said that when you found the Prime Ruler in his office, you were more than certain that he was dead."

"That's correct," he said, "The bullet wounds on his body suggested that he was shot from behind. These wounds, in particular one wound in his upper torso, were such that nobody should've been able to survive. And for a while there, he didn't breathe or move. He didn't even have a pulse when I checked. The medics were about to declare him dead when his heart rate and breathing suddenly started up again. Now he's in the building's private clinic, where we're hoping he'll make a full recovery."

"I've asked around, and nobody can seem to identify the assassin. No one has reported seeing anyone unusual entering or leaving the Prime Ruler's office. What's your take on this?"

"We're still looking through the surveillance footage from last night. So far we've not seen anyone in the building doing anything other than what they were supposed to. If we see any footage of the assassin, we'll be sure to let you know. You can be sure the bounty WILL be high."

"And I heard some say that although the Prime Ruler had very deep and defined bullet wounds, there wasn't a single bullet to be found anywhere, either in his flesh or in his office. Is this true, Lieutenant?"

"I'm not sure where you got this information from, but I can assure you that it's not true."

"One last question: There are also rumors of a captured gargoyle being held somewhere in the building. What can you tell us about this?"

"Any information pertaining to gargoyles is strictly business of the Prime Ruler and his Hunters. I don't have the legal authority to disclose anything of that nature. If that's all you have to ask me, I'll be going."

"Thank you, Lieutenant," April replied as the camera zoomed back to her and the Lieutenant walked away. "As you can see, details of this incident are still really sketchy, but let me assure you that I'll be staying right here covering the story as it unfolds. For Channel Six News, this is April O'Neil reporting live from the Capitol Building. Back to you, Howard."

"Thank you, April," said the anchorman as the screen switched back to him in the newsroom, "Stay tuned later this evening as we cover more of this shocking story. Until then, this is Howard Handupme, signing off."

And with that, the TV was turned off. We all just sort of looked around at each other in confusion.

"That's really creepy," Red commented.

"Who do you suppose tried to kill him?" Boober asked.

"Who knows?" Vaala answered. "I didn't think anyone other than Jigen was crazy enough to want to try and kill the Prime Ruler."

"This one nearly succeeded," Silverbolt replied. "And if the rumors are true, then this assassin is highly skilled to leave no bullets at the scene."

"Mac?" Markl said, leading the rest of us to look over to her. She looked like she was deep in thought.

"Ah'm thenkin," she said, "The timing ohf thes sehms almoost too convehnient."

"Yeah, it does seem kind of odd," I agreed, "That someone would try to kill him right when Jigen was thinking of doing it."

Jigen then got up from where he sat and walked around to the back of the living room, not looking or speaking to anyone as he walked. He bent down and lifted part of the floor up. For a second I thought he was crazy until I noticed that it was a secret entrance to the basement. He set the piece of floor aside and disappeared into the basement.

"You know, for once, I actually feel bad for him," Red said, "He actually did care about her."

"She was the reason he reentered the country, no?" Piccolo asked.

"Yeah," I said, "Reentered the country, sold his gun, tried to fight off a killer robot. All for her."

"I think one of us should go speak with him," Silverbolt said, "He needs all the support he can get."

"I'll do it," I said, "I've known Gold the longest, so I think it's only fair."

"No, I'll do it," Boober said as he walked over to the basement door, "After all, he is my brother."

I nodded to him, and he disappeared into the basement.

"I really hope he's not serious about wanting to kill the Prime Ruler," I said. "Gold wouldn't want it this way."

"Vaala, he's dead serious," Red said, "I know him well enough to know when he sets his mind to something, there's no changing it. Maybe Boober can talk a little bit of sense into him. Although in all honesty, I don't think it'll do any good."

"We will just have to wait and see," Silver replied, "See what he does when this is over."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Boober)

When I got down to the cellar, I found Jigen at the fridge, pulling out a large bottle of wine. He shut the fridge and set the bottle on the table. He pulled a cigarette out from his inner jacket pocket and lit it, smoking it as he dug his claws into the cork and popped it out. He sat down at the table, facing away from me, and he drank the wine straight from the bottle.

"Jigen?" I said.

He didn't respond. He shook some ash from his cigarette into the ashtray in front of him and just kept drinking.

"I know how hard this must be for you," I said. "How you must be feeling."

He put the bottle down for a moment and turned to me. For a long hard moment, he just looked at me. Glaring at me. The shadow under the rim of his hat seemed a lot darker than normal.

"When you lose Red," he said, speaking for the first time that evening, "Then you can sympathize with me."

"Jigen, please don't do this."

"What? Drink? Smoke? This is normal for me. You know that."

"Not that. I mean secluding yourself from everyone else like this. We're worried about you, Jigen. I'M worried about you."

"I just wanna be left alone, Boober," he said as he turned back around and continued drinking, "That's all I want right now."

"Sure, until we get to the capital. Then you want to go kill yourself."

"That bastard needs to die for what he did. Him and his robot."

"So you'll just leave the rest of us? Leave this clan like you did our last one?"

"If you came down here just to try and talk me out of it, you're wasting your time. I've made up my mind, and I'm not changing it. He took Gold away from me, and he's gonna pay for it."

"Jigen," I said as I sat down beside him.

He let out a sigh and looked at me.

"I was stupid," he said, "I stupidly let myself get so deeply attached to her."

"You loved her," I reminded, "That's not a bad thing."

"No, but it sure hurts like hell. I thought for sure this was gonna be different, that she wouldn't be like any of the other girls I've been with. Turns out she's just another statistic on my long history of bad luck with females. At least she falls under the rare minority of girls that actually loved me back and didn't betray me."

"But she WAS different, Jigen," I said, "You came back for her. You left your job with Lupin and came back into this country just to be with her."

He looked away from me, staying silent for a moment as he took another drink.

"I know that she was the only reason you came back," I continued, "I've known that for a long time now. It was just convenient for you to make your peace with me, especially with Sidebottom there. But you know what? None of that matters. I'm over it. In the end, you're still my brother."

Slowly, he put the bottle down and crushed his cigarette into the ashtray. He let out one last puff of smoke before turning to me.

"I'm not much of a brother, Boober," he said, "Never have been. Even when we were kids, I wasn't there for you a lot of the time. For being twins, we sure as hell spent a lot of time apart."

"Yes, but that wasn't until we were in our thirties."

"Yeah, when Gobo decided to put that band together and you joined 'em. I just kinda backed off into the shadows. We were still kids then, Boober."

"Yeah, but even though we spent a lot of time apart, you supported me. You never said anything against me singing with the band."

"That's cuz you've got a frickin' amazing singing voice, and you could've really gone places with it if you'd stayed with the band. Listening to you guys all together was like frickin' Queen reincarnated. I've heard their stuff from their released albums, and I can tell you it's not the same."

We stayed quiet for a moment. He took another drink from the bottle before pulling out another cigarette and lighting it.

"There's something I wanna tell you," I said, "Something I never told anyone."

"What?"

"The night you left the clan," I started, "After I got the call from Madam Heap, I left that studio in the middle of our recording session."

"I already know that much."

"After I left the studio," I continued, "I went up to the roof of the tallest nearby building. I stood backwards on the very edge, looking over the roof I was standing on. Then I just leaned back and let myself fall, and so I fell with no intention of opening my wings."

"Well, apparently you did, or you wouldn't be here talking to me about it right now."

"I did. At the last possible second, I opened my wings and glided away."

He stared at me for a moment. I looked back at him.

"Why are you telling me that now?" he asked.

"I'm trying to tell you that I do know what you're going through. That I went through the same thing."

"It's hardly the same thing. I didn't die."

"The way you left, Jigen, you might as well have been dead. I never thought I'd see you again. Somehow I knew that whatever the reason was that you left was one that wouldn't allow you to ever come back."

He looked away again and drank some more wine.

"What do you want from me, Boober? An apology? I'm sorry, alright? I've done a lot of things in my life that I'm not particularly proud of. Knowing that you almost killed yourself because I left the clan doesn't make me feel any better."

"I know. I... I just... I'm... Ugh, I don't know. I wasn't trying to bring you down more than you already were, but I... I couldn't think of anything else to tell so. So you'd understand."

"Right now, Boober, there's only one thing that I understand, and it's that I've lost the last female I ever intended on falling in love with. Of all the females I've been with in my life, she was the only one that I ever wanted to give everything to. Riches, luxury, even my life. I wanted to give it all to her. I'd promised to show her the world after we were done with everything here. I'd even started putting some kind of a plan for it together in my head. We'd spend a year or so traveling the world, seeing all the interesting places I've seen, maybe see a few places she'd wanted to go see. Then we'd end it all in Paris, the city of love. And there I would've asked her to marry me. Never for any of my past girlfriends did I ever plan past the initial attraction, and I'm pretty damn sure it'll never happen again, even if I do somehow survive past this whole thing with the Prime Ruler."

"So you still intend on going through with it?"

"I already told you, Boober," he said as he crushed that cigarette into the ashtray, "I've made up my mind, and I have no intention of changing it."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Prime Ruler Bethovich)

I awoke to a sharp pain in my wrists. I was still too weak to sit, but at the very least I could raise my arms.

"Agh!" I groaned as I massaged my wrists, quickly realizing that this pain was not my own.

I began to laugh. I laughed loud enough that it echoed through the clinic that served as my private hospital.

"Your Excellency," Professor Hojo greeted as approached my bed. "I see something went according to plan this time."

"Did I die, Professor?"

"Yes, Excellency. Both of you did."

"Then it is done. The bond is complete."

"Yes, Excellency."

"Excellent," I replied. "HK-47 has done his job well."

"He is a machine, Your Excellency," he said, "And one that I built, mind you. He has no choice but to do his job well."

"And what of Colonel Quickstrike?" I asked.

"The General has failed, I'm afraid. He was killed assisting HK-47."

"That is unfortunate. He was my best soldier."

"And when his team of Hunters arrived at the apartment, Excellency, there was no one there. The clan had already evacuated."

"That is not important," I said, "The only thing that matters to me is that I have won my prize, and when I am once again strong enough to move, I wish to meet her."

"Of course."

"Where is she, Professor?"

"On the dungeon floor, Your Excellency."

"Perfect. I shall see her when her wounds have healed further. Until then, Professor, you may go."

He bowed to me and left the room, leaving me to my thoughts.

"At long last," I thought, "My search is finally over."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Mac)

"You seem distracted, my dear," Mr. Piccolo said to me, interrupting my train of thought.

"Aye," I replied, "I've a lot on my mind."

We were in the wine cellar. Everyone was. Piccolo and I were at the computer in the far corner of the room, scanning the area around the city. He sat on the chair in front of the computer while I stood behind him. Everyone else sat at the table on the other side of the room chattering their own conversation. Jigen, who didn't say a word to anyone else, still clung to the bottle of wine he'd been drinking from. I'd lost count of the number of cigarettes he'd smoked that night. I only knew that the overstuffed ashtray on the table was completely empty before we arrived that night.

The entire night, there was only one thing on my mind, and that was the mystery of Gold's origins. The Prime Ruler had sent specifically for her, to kill her and retrieve her body, but the question in my mind was why the Prime Ruler would need her body after killing her.

Then there was the matter of the mark on her back. Jigen had mentioned the night before that the mark was also on the man that Silverbolt fought as well as the monster they fought at the mines.

"There is just so much I still haven't figured out," I continued. "Even with all this new information we have, I'm still missing so many pieces."

"You'll figure it out, my dear," he said as the computer finished booting. "Sooner or later, the answers will come to you."

"Aye, but right now it all seems to just jumble together."

"It's been a difficult couple of nights, my dear," he said, "Even the best of minds have trouble thinking during difficult times. You of all people should know that better than anyone. I imagine this isn't nearly as bad as losing your spouse, but living with the girl as long as you have, and studying her for that matter, I'm sure she must have meant something to you."

"Aye, that she did," I replied with a sigh, "And now more than ever, I feel the need to figure her out, if only to give us some closure. But right now, I just can't get my thoughts straight."

"When was the last time you had a drink?" he asked as he stood from his chair.

"I'd say at least two nights ago," I answered, "Why?"

He only nodded at me as he turned away and walked to one of the cabinets beside the refrigerator on the side of the room where the table was. He opened it, and he pulled out two short glasses and a large bottle of liquor that looked very much like the bottles I used for my scotch. He opened the freezer, took out a small handful of ice cubes, and dropped them into the two glasses he set on the counter. He poured the liquor into the two glasses, and handed one of them to Jigen.

"Anyone else?" he offered.

They all shook their heads, and Piccolo then patted Jigen on the shoulder.

"You'll let me know if there is anything else you need, yes?"

Jigen nodded in response and began to drink from the glass that was handed to him.

"I lost my wife several years ago to muggers," he said, "Believe me, I know what you are going through. I know everything seems horrible right now, but she would not want you to be miserable forever. Life goes on, my friend, and so must you. You're hearing what I'm telling you, ah?"

Jigen only nodded as he continued drinking his drink and smoking the cigarette in his beak, not quite saying or doing much else in response. I could only see him from behind, so I couldn't tell whether or not he was actually listening. As stubborn as he was, I was willing to wager that his mind was still set on hunting the Prime Ruler, despite the support he's been given.

"Good," Piccolo said as he turned again to the counter.

He picked up the other glass and the bottle as everyone else continued their chatter. He walked back to me and handed me the other glass.

"It's a good thing I kept this," he said, "This occasion seems to call for it."

"That's not the bottle I gave you, is it?" I asked, "From before all this?"

"Yes, yes, this is your brew," he said, "I've been saving it for just the right occasion, and this seems to be it. And actually, you seem to need it more than I do, given you currently have no access to the seemingly infinite supply in your lab. I know the scotch helps you think... somehow... and I figured part of your trouble thinking could just be withdrawals."

"Perhaps," I chuckled as I accepted the glass and began to drink from it. "Aye, this is mine."

"You can take the bottle with you, if you wish, for the rest of the trip."

"But I gave it to you."

"Again, you need it more than I do. You can send me another one when you get to the capital."

I looked at the glass in my talon. It was already half gone. I took another drink and then looked down at Piccolo.

"Thank you," I said.

"It's a pleasure, my dear," he said, "We widows have to stick together, ah?"

"Aye," I chuckled and took another drink. "That we do."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Gold Demona)

I woke up, and the first thing I noticed was the severely sharp pain in my back and around my wrists. I tried to move, but found that the pain in my wrists was from a pair of shackles around them, spreading my arms apart and holding me sitting upright on a slab in the wall that hung pretty high up from the floor. My ankles were shackled together under the slab. Although I couldn't see them, I could tell the chains on those shackles also went to the wall as my feet were being pulled backwards under the slab My wings just sort of hung down beside me.

The room I was in was dark, so I couldn't see much around me. I only knew that I was being held in some kind of dungeon-like prison. I could see metal bars in front of me, but nothing past that. The room was just too dark, even for a gargoyle's eyes.

Immediately, I started yanking on the shackles to try to free myself, but the chains were too strong for me to break, and apparently, so was the wall it was attached to. Nothing budged.

"Hey!" I yelled into the darkness. "HEY!"

"Geez, Louise! Can ya keep it down?" Yelled a voice from somewhere in front of me. "Dang! I'd almost gotten to sleep, finally! You know I've had almost no sleep since they dumped me in here?"

"Where are we?" I asked. "And who are you?"

"We're in some kind of prison floor high up in the Prime Capital Building in the marvelous city of Volgograd Prime." he answered, "As for who I am, well I'm just a guy who was thrown into prison for tryin' to turn in a gargoyle. 'False accusations' they said. They didn't even give me a trial. They didn't even look into the gargoyle I was pointing at. They just threw me in here and shackled me to the wall. What the hell kind of justice is that?"

"Volgograd Prime?" I repeated. "How the hell did I end up at the capital so fast? Last night I was in Paradigm City."

"Ah, a fellow Paradigmer, eh? That's where I got picked up. I'm not sure myself why they sent us all the way to the capital. I'm thinkin' there might've been something important about that gargoyle I was lookin' at."

I didn't want to say anything else to him. It was obvious to me that he hated gargoyles, although it seemed strange that they'd put someone in prison for accusing someone of being a gargoyle.

"So what're YOU in for? Seems kind of odd to throw a pretty blonde like you into a prison like this. What'd they accuse you of to get you up here?"

I had to think for a moment. First to come up with an answer for him. I couldn't just tell him I was a gargoyle at night. Obviously, I'd been brought here during the day, seeing as he mentioned me being blonde. The second thing was to try and remember what had happened that got me in prison.

"I'm not really sure," I said finally, "I don't remember a lot of what happened last night."

"Yeah, it looked like they beat you real bad," he said, "You were unconscious the whole day. I was startin' to wonder if you were even gonna wake up. If I had to guess, I'd say that unlike me, you're here for bein' a dang sympathizer, which makes a hell of a lot more sense to me."

"I kind of am," I said.

"Whaddaya mean you 'kind of' are? You either are or you aren't. You either like 'em or you don't. You probably already guessed this, but I don't like the damn things."

"And why is that? What do you have against gargoyles?"

"They're not natural, that's what I have against them. I mean really. They got those eyes that glow when they get pissed off. And they can crush rocks and metal with their bare hands. And can you think of any other animal that turns into solid rock with the sunrise? I can't."

"And why hold that against them? That says nothing about them as people."

"People, huh? You think they're people?"

"You think they're not?"

"Just because they can talk like people doesn't mean they are."

"You obviously don't know anything about gargoyles."

"Well, why don't you educate me, then? Go right ahead. Start talkin'."

"Somehow, I don't think you'd understand even if I did try to explain it to you. You're too dead set on your own opinion to hear the real facts. It's people like you that make life really difficult for people like me."

"And yet we're both stuck here in this prison," he reminded. "I'd say life's equally difficult for the both of us."

"Yeah, right now it is. But before you were put in here, I'll bet you didn't have to hide everywhere you went. You could walk around the street without any fear of someone trying to kill you just for being what you are. You didn't have to worry about anyone coming to kill you, your friends, your family while you all sleep. You were free to do whatever you wanted without having to use a false identity."

"There you go talking like they're people again. Playing the 'how would you feel if it happened to you' card. I don't buy it, missy. You're gonna have to do better than that if you wanna convince me."

"Ugh," I sighed, "You know what? How about we just not talk anymore?"

"Fine by me," he replied, "I don't much like talking to sympathizers anyway."

"And I don't much like talking to bigots."

After that, the conversation finally ended. He stayed quiet, and so did I. I was glad. I really didn't want to talk to him anymore, whoever he was. I took a deep breath, and then I thought about everyone else back home, wondering if they were even alive. The night was so frantic that I couldn't put together anything that happened. The last thing I that could remember was being at the pawnshop with Jigen. After that, there was nothing.

"Jigen," I thought to myself, wanting so badly to be with him, "I need you."


	31. Chapter 30: Revelations

Gold Demona

**Chapter XXX**

Revelations

(Inspector Zenigata)

(Two nights later...)(January, 2111 A.D.)

"Are you sure you got everything, Zeni?" Jake asked me for the twentieth time as I gathered my things on the bed I'd been sleeping on for the past few months. "You've got a long trip ahead of you, and it wouldn't be wise for you to come back if you forget anything."

It was really odd. I was kinda feelin' at home here with Jake as my roommate, and now I was getting ready to leave.

For some odd reason, Jake had decided to start calling me Zeni not long after I moved in. Could never figure out why, although I never really cared enough to ask. Hell, Lupin and Jigen always called me "Pops" or "Old Man" or something to that extent, so what was one more nickname? At least this one was based on my name and not my physical age.

I looked back at him. He just leaned back on the doorway with his arms crossed and his hat tilted at an odd angle.

"Yeah, I got everything," I answered for the twentieth time as I set my trench coat and hat down on the bed next to my briefcase, which had my false ID and Passport sitting ontop of it, "I've triple checked and quadruple checked everything. I more than certain I have everything I need."

"You got the evidence in a safe place?"

"Yeah," I answered as I pulled the disk out from my inner jacket pocket and then stuck it back in.

"So then what's keepin' you from jumpin' the next bus outta here?"

"I'd rather wait 'til Mac's group gets here," I answered, "After what happened to them at Paradigm, I'd like to know they got here safely, y'know?"

"Yeah, I hear ya, Zeni," he said as he stepped away from the doorway, "They managed to get to Fio's last night without a hitch, and word is they made it out alright tonight. So they should be here any moment now."

He walked off into the hallway towards the hidden door.

"Where ya goin'?" I asked and followed him out.

"Getting things ready for Mac's arrival," he said as he opened the wall up to the rest of the hallway, "I'm sure she'll want to set up her lab as soon as she gets here."

"Wait, what? Her lab?"

"You remember this room, roight?" he asked as he walked past the statue room to the door at the end of the hall.

"Well yeah, but... Wait, it's for her lab?"

"Right-O, mate," he replied as he fiddled around with the locks and opened the door.

I walked over and looked inside. The room was completely empty.

"This ain't a lab," I pointed out. "There's nothing in it."

"It will be when she gets here," he said. "This room here's the exact same soize as the room that served as her lab in Paradigm."

"But how the hell does she move it?"

"She's a very clever girl, Zeni," he said as he walked back up the hall to the living room, "She has her ways."

I stood there scratching my head for a moment. It made no sense to me, but then again, Mac was always a strange one. Even on those times when she was sober and I could actually understand some of the stuff she said. After a minute of staring at the empty room, I just shook my head and let it go. I figured if she could build a robot that could drink scotch, she sure as hell could make a way to move her lab.

I walked up the hall and into the living room. Jake had gone into the kitchen and started making coffee and boiling some water on the stove.

"I figure you'll want some food and caffeine before you go," he said as I walked in. "The water's for your noodles."

I looked at the kettle of boiling water on the stove and noticed an unopened bowl of Ramen sitting beside it.

"Woah, Jake, you don't have to do that," I said, "If you wanna make real food, that's fine with me."

"I always do, Zeni, but out of habit you always pull out your noodles. I don't think this'll be any different. It's alright. My feelings aren't hurt by it. It just means more food for me. Really, because of that, my grocery shopping didn't change very much after you moved in."

"Heh," I chuckled. "I guess some habits are hard to break."

"Loike your impulse to arrest Lupin every time you think you see him?" Jake replied, "Or to talk about him and his companions every toime something is mentioned that's remotely related to something they may or may not have done?"

"Uh, yeah, like that," I replied and hung my head.

He poured the finished coffee into two mugs. He turned around and handed me one of the steaming mugs.

"Remember not to arrest Jigen when he gets here," he said, "The poor bloke's got enough on his plate at the moment."

"Yeah, no kidding," I replied as I took the coffee and blew on it, "He went to all that trouble to go back there just to be with Gold, and she then up and dies. That really sucks. She was a good girl, too."

"So I hear," he said as he sipped his coffee.

"Say, Jake?"

"Yeah, Zeni?"

"Even though I never really got anywhere with this investigation, you've been a lot of help to me when I needed it."

"That's what I'm here for, mate," he said as he turned the stove off and picked the kettle up from it. "My whole reason here is to help."

"Yeah, I know that," I said as I walked up to the counter and opened my Ramen. "But what I'm trying to say is I really appreciate everything you've done for me."

"You mean like all the water I've boiled for your noodles?" he said with a grin as he poured the water into the bowl.

"Well, yeah. That," I chuckled as I held the bowl shut. "But what I mean is my stay here's actually been kinda nice. Sort of homey, y'know? I kinda feel bad about leaving."

"Well, you're not a bad roommate yerself, Zeni," he said as he picked his coffee back up and continued drinking it. "Even with you constantly yammering on about your notorious Lupin. But ya gotta do what ya gotta do, roight?"

"Right."

Then I heard a buzzing sound coming from outside.

"That must be them," Jake said as he put his mug down and started walking to the door. "I'll get it. You enjoy your noodles, mate."

"Thanks," I replied as I pulled out my chopsticks and reopened the bowl.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Jigen)

Jake opened the door just as we were arriving from the elevator.

"Hey, luv," he greeted, "How've you been?"

"Weh've ben bittar," Mac answered as we walked in.

None of us were in any kind of a good mood, least of all me. That question just seemed like a really stupid thing to ask, and going by Mac's tone, she probably thought so, too. The collectively dreary mood among us just seemed to get worse every night. We were all at the point where we'd just go where we were going and not say a word to each other. Of course, I was there from the beginning, but I guess that didn't help the rest of them any.

We all walked into the living room and sat down where we could. Pops was sitting in one of the armchairs eating his Ramen.

"Hey," he greeted to me as I sat down.

"Hey," I replied.

"So, uh," he said, "How ya doin'?"

"Don't pretend to be nice to me, Pops," I said. "It really doesn't help."

"I'm not pretending, dammit!" he said as he slurped a big mouthful of noodles.

"Hmph," I grunted and looked away to everyone else.

While the rest of us gathered in the living, Mac went straight into the hallway.

"Getting roight to it, then?" Jake asked as he followed her down the hall. "It's the one at the end."

"Aye," She answered as she walked all the way to the end of the hallway and disappeared into the room.

She stayed in there for a minute before walking back out and shutting the door behind her.

"Anything I can do for you, luv?" Jake asked as he watched.

"Onleh to steh oot ohf mah weh," she answered, "Ah've a great dill ohf wark ta do, ahnd Ah doon't wesh ta be destarbed."

"Of course, luv," he replied as he stepped away, "I'll leave you to it, then."

BOOM!

The sound shook the whole apartment. Pops just about jumped out of his chair and nearly dropped his Ramen.

"What the hell was that?!" he asked.

"That's the sound of what's left of our apartment coming with us," Vaala answered.

"So that was the lab?" he replied. "You're saying she can bring the whole damn room here?"

We all looked over to Mac, who just walked in and shut herself into the lab.

"That's why the room had to be exactly the same soize as the one in Paradigm," Jake said as he walked back into the living room. "Can I offer anyone refreshment?"

We all shook our heads.

"I can see this is going to be a long noight."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Gold Demona)

The days were long, and the nights were even longer. With every hour that passed in that prison, a little bit of my hope slipped away. I had no way of knowing if anyone else was alright or even alive, and it was driving me insane. The wounds in my back weren't hurting anymore, and I'd lost all feeling in my wrists and ankles somewhere in the last forty-eight hours. I hadn't slept at all since I'd regained consciousness a couple days earlier. I couldn't get myself relaxed enough to sleep, not with my mind constantly going back to my friends and their well-being.

"I wish there was some way of knowing," I thought to myself, "If at least one of them made it out alright. Jigen..."

I tried so hard to remember what happened the night we were leaving, but it was no use. I just couldn't remember anything beyond the pawnshop. I could feel my eyes watering up as horrible images started running through my head.

"What if he was killed when I was captured?" I asked myself in thought, "What if the clan was killed, too?"

I sobbed. I couldn't stand not knowing what happened. So many questions racing through my head, and none of them had any answers I could get to. I could feel the tears flowing down the sides of my face and dripping off my chin.

"What's the matter?" asked my cellmate from across the room.

Having a cellmate with prejudices against gargoyles didn't help me any. He said his name was Reno, but I refused to give him my name, or much of anything else about me. He still didn't know about my nighttime form, although I was sure he was curious about the noises I made at dawn and dusk.

I hadn't forgotten the first conversation I had with him. The fact that he asked me that question, like he was actually concerned about my feelings, sent an angering chill down my spine.

"Why do you care?" I sobbed, "I'm a sympathizer, remember?"

"Yeah, but you're also a woman," he said, "And I can't stand to hear a woman cry, even if that woman happens to like gargoyles. So why're you crying?"

"It's none of your business," I growled, "Don't try to act like my friend when you don't actually care."

"Well excuse me for trying," he said.

Then there was a very loud buzzing sound coming from somewhere off to the side, as well as the sound of a metal gate clanking open. When the bussing and clanking stopped, I could hear footsteps coming in. And as they got closer, a bright light suddenly turned on above me, illuminating my whole cell.

"You're..." I heard Reno stutter, "You're a..."

"A gargoyle," I heard a deep voice finish from where the footsteps were coming from.

Then I heard the soft firing of a dart gun.

"But only by night," the voice continued. "However, you will not be awake to hear any of this."

"Wha..." I heard Reno slur as he faded out, "Wha-luh-heh...uh..."

Since the light was directly above me, I couldn't see much past the bars of my cell. I still couldn't see Reno in the opposite cell from mine, but I could see a thin wrinkled man with black hair, a long thin moustache, a protruding brow, and jet black eyes, wearing an off-white labcoat, which looked like it might have once been bright white.

I watched him as he walked. He looked right at me as he walked to the door of my cell and unlocked it. He stepped inside and walked right to me.

He stopped just three feet away from me, and he stared at me. It was a long, quiet, creepy stare. All the while, he wore a wide grin on his face that grew wider as his eyes grew narrower.

"It's been far too long," he said to me. "Gold Demona. We've been looking everywhere for you."

All of a sudden, I felt a cold stiffness in my chest.

"How..." I started, but then hesitated, "How do you know my name? Who are you?"

"I am Professor Hojo," he said. "The Prime Ruler's Chief Researcher and Inventor. And I know much more about you than just your name. In fact, I know more about you than even you do."

"What are you talking about?"

"Don't play ignorant with me," he said, "I'm sure you have all kinds of questions about yourself. Things you've been wondering your entire life about."

"And what can you tell me about myself?"

His already wide grin grew even wider.

"Everything," he said.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Mac)

I sat in my chair for a moment as my equipment whirred back to life, just thinking and sipping on my glass of scotch. I wasn't entirely prepared for the task I was to take. I was more than certain that it wouldn't matter how well I made this plan. If Jigen was to go to the capitol building to kill the Prime Ruler, he would not be likely to return from it, plan or no.

"Agh, this is not what she would've wanted for him," I mumbled to myself as I rubbed my temple with the talon I leaned on.

The computer then finished booting and immediately began running the binary program of Gold's DNA.

"She has some kind of connection with the Prime Ruler," I thought, "His closest soldiers bear the same mark on their back that she does."

I reached over to close the program back up when a thought crossed my mind.

"Hold the phone," I said as I looked at her full name displayed in text at the corner of the screen. "Gold Demona..."

I then placed my glass down on the counter as I rolled away from the computer and began to search through my cluttered piles for a blank piece of paper.

"Human by day..." I mumbled, "Gargoyle by night..."

I managed to find one and grabbed a nearby pencil as I set the paper down on the counter beside the computer. I took the pencil and wrote down the Prime Ruler's full name. I looked at it for a moment, erasing parts of it.

"Great mother of God..." I said as I came to my answer. "How is this possible?"

As I thought more about it, I came to an even more shocking realization.

"She's alive..." I realized out loud and then began to laugh, "She's alive!"

I nearly fell over my chair as I rushed out of my chair to run across the lab to the door. I opened it and ran up the hall to the living room. I quickly noticed that the Inspector had already gone. I looked around at everyone else as they all gave me a variety of quizzical looks.

"She's alive," I announced.

"What?!" Vaala yelled as everyone turned to me and rose from where they sat.

"She's alive?!" Markl yelled.

"What do you mean she's alive?" Red asked.

"Exactly what I said," I replied, "I've discovered the reason the Prime Ruler specifically targeted her."

"And what is this reason?" Silverbolt asked.

"I'll show you in the lab," I answered as I pointed back down the hall.

I then looked to Jigen, who was still sitting as he looked back at me with an angry look on his face.

"What's the matter, Jigen?" Boober asked him.

"Aren't you happy to hear this," Vaala added. "I know I am."

He slowly rose from where he sat. He walked across the living room and stopped directly in front of me. He stood there for a moment, staring at me.

"I saw her die, Mac," he growled, "I saw where she was shot. There's no way in hell she could've survived the wounds she took."

"You calling me a liar?" I retorted.

"No, I'm calling you frickin' crazy," he replied, "If you're not gonna help me kill the Prime Ruler, let me know right now so I can be on my way and not waste my time chasing false hope."

"It's not false hope," I said, "She's not dead."

"How are you so sure?" he replied, "What makes you so frickin' positive that she'd be alive after being shot where she was?"

I said nothing. Instead, I turned around and began to walk back to the lab.

I could hear footsteps behind me as I stepped inside the lab and pulled a large portable dry-erase board and marker out from one of my drawers. I looked back to see everyone, with the exception of Jake, gathering in the lab around the center table.

"As we all know," I began as I wrote her name across the top of the board, not showing it to anyone yet, "Gold received fatal bullet wounds to the back. Under normal circumstances, she would be dead."

"Yes, we know all that," Silverbolt said.

"And as we also know," I continued, "The Prime Ruler also received bullet wounds to the back. Wounds that should have killed him. And it was rumored that there were no bullets anywhere at the scene."

"Where are you going with this?" Red asked impatiently.

"I'll show you," I said as I finish writing on the board and turned it so everyone could see. "Look here."

"Gold Demona," Markl read out loud.

"Yeah, it's her name," Jigen asked. "So?"

I turned the board back around and began to write the Prime Ruler's name underneath Gold's.

"Are any of you familiar with the story of Demona and MacBeth?" I asked.

"Yeah, I remember my grandpa telling me this story," Vaala said. "MacBeth was a human king in Scotland during the early eleventh century, and Demona was a gargoyle from the same clan as the first gargoyles that settled in New York. They made some kind of deal involving the three Weird Sisters of the third race. It made both of them immortal."

"The terms of the Weird Sisters' spell," I continued as I wrote, "Stated that as long as one lived, so would the other, ever sharing in each other's pain and suffering, never dying until one destroyed the other, which eventually they did in the late twenty-first century."

"But what does that have to do with Gold?" Boober asked.

"Here," I said as I turned the board back around.

"That's the Prime Ruler's name," Markl said.

"Aye," I replied as they watched me begin to rub away parts of his name. "But given closer inspection, and knowledge of the story, we can finally see the one thing that truly connects everything together."

I finished rubbing away his name until all that was left was the evidence of his intents. Everyone stared at the board, wide-eyed in disbelief. Jigen stepped backwards and collapsed onto the gurney. Boober went to him and rubbed his shoulder as he slouched with his hands on his knees.

"So you see," I said, "Jigen was not wrong to say that she died. However, that does not mean that she stayed dead."

"Holy shit..." Jigen quivered, "So she actually is alive."

"This is really huge," Vaala said, "This explains a lot."

"Yeah, but do we know how the hell this happened?" Red asked. "I mean, what are the odds of this sort of thing happening?"

"Yes, there are still many holes in the puzzle," Silverbolt added. "Do you know anything else about this?"

"Unfortunately, that's all I've got," I answered, "However, it's better news than we've had all week."

"We have to go rescue her!" Markl sprang with excitement.

"Rar! Rar!" Krypto agreed.

"Yeah, we gotta storm the place and get her outta there!" Vaala added.

"Oh hell yeah!" Red agreed. "That bastard needs a good old can of ass-whoop opened on him!"

"But how do we go about this?" Silverbolt asked, "We need a plan, but without the right information, we'll be running in blind."

"Maybe I can help you fill in the blanks," said a familiar female voice from the speakers of my computer.

Surprised, we all turned around and saw a familiar female gargoyle face on my computer screen.

"Blackarachnia?" Silverbolt said.

"Treacherous BITCH!" Jigen roared as his eyes flared bright white, and Boober held him back as he struggled to lunge at my computer.

"Jigen! Please calm down!" Boober pleaded.

"It's her fault all this happened!" Jigen growled. "It's her fault Gold's not here!"

"And that we're not still at the apartment," Red added. "Leading the Hunters to us and making us have to move all the way here."

"Not to mention what she did to Silverbolt," Vaala added. "Having us all thinking he was dead."

"And she never once even tried to fit in with us," Markl added.

"Everyone, please!" Silverbolt yelled. "Let her try and explain herself."

"Explain herself?" I retorted, "She hacked into my computer!"

"That's right," Jigen replied, "How do we know she didn't give our location to the Prime Ruler?"

"And how do you know she will?" Silver replied.

"No, he's right to doubt me," Blackarachnia said, "All of you are. I know none of you have any reason to trust me, and all of you have every right to hate me. However, I can't let you just walk into the Prime Ruler's capitol building without knowing exactly what you're getting into. If you're gonna go save Gold Demona, you're gonna have to know everything about everything. As we speak, I'm uploading all the specs of the building into your hard drive. I can give you every weak point and every possible route you can take."

"Why the sudden generosity?" Jigen asked with a biting sarcasm.

"I know I can't make up for everything I've done," she said, "But I have to start somewhere. I figure helping you get Gold back would be a good start. Until I met all of you, I never knew what it meant to be a gargoyle, and I never cared enough to try to find out. It was only when I was staying with all of you that I felt like maybe it was possible that I could live like a real gargoyle, even though in reality I'd always know that I'm not."

"Not?" Silverbolt repeated.

"I'm not a real gargoyle," she said, "And neither is Gold Demona."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Jigen replied.

She rose from her seat and turned around so we could see her back. She lifted the back of her shirt, revealing on her dark indigo skin a white version of the same mark that was on Gold.

"This mark," she said as she sat back down, "It marks the abomination that brought my very existence, and in turn the reason I can never be a real gargoyle. It applies to me, as it also applies to Gold Demona. We are not real gargoyles, and I will tell you why."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Gold Demona)

"So what did all that have to do with me?" I asked after the creepy old man known as Hojo finished his recitation of the story of Demona and MacBeth.

"I'll tell you," he said, "The story intrigued me. So much so that I decided to duplicate it. At least for the most part."

"Duplicate?"

"I'm sure there was at least one point in your life where you would stare at your reflection in the mirror and wonder about that mark you were born with on your back."

I cringed a little when he said that.

"That mark," he said, "Is the mark I place on all of my creations. From the moment I begin to piece together their genetic code, I embed this mark on them so they all know who their true master is."

"W...What are you saying?"

"I'm saying I am the one who created you," he said, "Every piece of your genetic code I pieced together one strand at a time. Your skin, your hair, your brilliant eye color, your simple small figure. Although I must say, your gargoyle form was regrettably rushed. Your human form is slightly better, but not by much. I had already begun developing your counterpart when I began work on you. I admit I put much more creative effort into him than I did into you. You were the much more complicated piece to the project."

"My counterpart? What do you mean?"

"Haven you been paying any attention? I created you as part of my endeavor to duplicate the conditions between Demona and MacBeth... with some modifications of improvement, of course."

"So I'm the Demona," I concluded.

"Correct," he replied, "One half of my golden achievement. Gold Demona."

"So if I'm the Demona... then who--?"

"I believe I will answer that," chuckled a deep Russian-sounding voice from behind him.

The voice stepped forward into the light where I could see him, and before I knew it I was face to face with the Prime Ruler. I suddenly felt like I was choking on my heart. I never imagined I would actually meet the one man responsible for so much death in New Liberty.

"Ah, there you are," Hojo said to the Prime Ruler.

"Yes, here I am," he replied in his Russian accent, "And here she is. At long last."

"Oh please tell me your not--"

"Goldari Macaro Bethovich," the Prime Ruler interrupted and bowed his head to me, "Otherwise known as Gold MacBeth."

"Oh dear God..." I stammered, shaking my head in disbelief.

"God had nothing to do with it," Hojo bantered, "You are both the result of years of research and experimentation."

"But... how?"

"I believe you have suffered enough of such trauma for one night," said the Prime Ruler, raising his hand to massage the left side of his chest.

"Would you like me to leave the two of you alone, Your Excellency? After all, you have an entire lifetime to catch up on."

"Yes, I would like that. You may go, Professor."

Hojo then bowed and disappeared back into the shadows he came from, leaving me alone with the Prime Ruler. I looked at him, and he looked back at me with his bright red eyes. Eyes that almost matched mine, except that they carried a strange level of insanity to them. He walked up really close to me. I tried to back up as he brought his face only centimeters away from mine.

"I can feel your heartache, Demona," he said softly.

"Don't call me that," I retorted.

"But that is your name," he reminded. "Is it not?"

"Don't... call me that," I repeated with more emphasis.

"As you wish," he said.

His eyes narrowed, and he just stared at me for a long and uneasy moment.

"What?" I asked to break the silence.

"Hojo told me that you were a rushed piece of work," he said, "And I do see some minor flaws in your design. However..."

As my sight was concentrated on his eerie gaze, I felt his hand wrap around my lower jaw and pull on my face so I wouldn't move away. He then pulled my face even closer to his.

"Ah," he sighed as he gave me a slightly toothy grin, "So beautiful."

"Don't touch me!" I hissed as I tried to move my head away.

"You and I were meant for one another," he said as he kept his grip on my face, "We were made for each other. Your reproductive system was programmed to fully develop as soon as our link was completed."

"What?" I grunted as I still struggled to get my face out from his grip.

He finally let go and stepped back a couple feet.

"The magic spell that binds us together," he explained. "Just as the spell of the Weird Sisters bound the original Demona and MacBeth."

"So you're saying we can feel each other's pain?"

"That is part of it, yes."

"Good."

I then yanked all my weight to one side as hard as I possibly could. The shackle holding tightly to my wrist pulled back as I yanked, causing the flesh on my wrist to shift to places it wasn't meant to and popping my arm and shoulder out of alignment. I also felt a lot more pain all around it.

"Agh!" We both yelled in unison as he reached for his misaligned and now-bleeding shoulder.

I looked down to my injured shoulder and noticed that I was bleeding at the same spot. I looked back at him just as he raised his angered gaze up at me. He growled at me for a moment, but then he laughed a little and smiled.

"How foolish of me," he chuckled, "I did not think you were capable of doing something like this."

"If it means making things harder for you," I growled, "I'll gladly suffer through it."

"Of course," he replied as he straightened himself back up, still holding his shoulder.

He turned away from me and walked away.

"I bid you good evening," he said as he disappeared into the shadows, "Demona."

And with that, the light above my head was turned back off.

After I heard the elevator shut and buzz away, I just collapsed, not caring about the pain in my arm anymore. I hung my head and began to cry.

"What does this all mean?" I thought as I cried, "Does it mean I'm not a real person? Just a badly put-together imitation of a person? Should I even exist? What's going to happen to me now? I don't know."

I wanted so badly to be home, wherever that was. I wanted to see my clan, my friends, my love. Jigen. I missed him so much. The agony of it made my chest feel like it was going to collapse at any moment. I wondered if he even knew I was alive... or if HE was even alive. I couldn't stand the hurt I was feeling. I wanted to die, but knowing the bond between us, I knew that wasn't going to happen. I just cried for what seemed like forever, praying for the moment when it would all finally end.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Prime Ruler Gold MacBeth)

"This pain she feels is insufferable," I complained as we walked into the infirmary, "It makes me glad that I have no compassion."

"Do you want me to sedate her, Excellency?" Hojo asked.

"No," I answered as I sat on the gurney, "Let her suffer for the time being. At most this pain will pass within a few weeks. I can endure until then."

"And what about this self-injury?" he asked, "This will be sure to happen again if nothing is done about it."

"I can handle it," I answered, "After all, I endured the wounds she received from HK-47. Let her stay where she is and vent her rage. In the end, she will realize that it will gain her nothing in the long run."

"It could take months for that to happen, Your Excellency," Hojo replied, "Possibly years."

"I can wait," I said, "I have all the time in the world, and she and I will grow no older while I wait. Now that our bond is complete, I have nothing to worry about."

"Query: You called for me, Master?" HK-47 greeted as he entered.

"Yes, HK-47," I returned the greeting, "I have one quick assignment for you. And you do not even have to go far to execute it."

"Statement: Very well, Master. What can I do for you?"

"Execute order thirty-six."

"Statement:" he replied in a cheerful tone as he pointed his rifle to Hojo's head, "As you wish, Master."

"What?" Hojo yelled, "What is the meaning of this?"

"I do apologize... Father," I said, "But I no longer have any need for you. I have my prize and my immortality, and all the soldiers you created for me either died or betrayed us."

"Statement: That is because they were inferior meatbags, Master. I, however, am forever loyal to you."

"Thank you, HK-47. Now, Professor, in time you would eventually have died anyway. What reason do I have to wait for such a thing when I am no longer in need of your service?"

"And what about Terra?" he sneered.

"Terra is programmed to obey only the two of us," I explained, "Once you are gone, she will only obey me. She is still useful, so I will keep her around."

"Hmph," he grinned, "Well, then, Gold MacBeth. It seems I've raised you better than I hoped. What will you do now?"

"What I planned to do from the very beginning..."

HK-47 then fired his weapon, causing Hojo to drop bleeding to the floor.

"Conquer." 


	32. Chapter 31: Calm Before The Storm

Gold Demona

**Chapter XXXI**

Calm Before The Storm

(Reno)

(The next day...)(January, 2111 A.D.)

I sat there for what seemed like forever, listening to the constant sobbing and sniffing in the cell across from me.

She was already bawling when I woke up, and she hadn't stopped since. I was beginning to wonder if she even had any more tears to shed. And I was also beginning to wonder what they did to her to get her crying like that.

I couldn't help thinking about what I saw last night, either. I could've sworn that she was a human when they brought her in, but when the lights came on for her interrogation, she was a gargoyle. A weird one, too. She was freaky-looking, even for a gargoyle. Too many bright colors all in one place. I only saw her for a few seconds before they knocked me out, but it was enough to confuse the hell out of me.

"Maybe it was a disguise," I thought, "Like the one that Freddie guy had. But if that's the case..."

My brain was hurting at that point. I'd always been told gargoyles didn't have any real feelings, that they were pretty good at acting like they had 'em. Now, I always considered myself an expert at telling the difference between fake crying and the real thing, and this sounded pretty damn real to me.

"So either she's a REALLY freakin' good actress," I thought, "Or she's actually crying."

"Hey, come on! Quit cryin'!" I yelled, finally fed up with it.

She didn't say anything. She didn't even seem to acknowledge that I'd made any noise, and I was yelling pretty damn loud. She just kept crying.

"Please?" I added.

"Leave me alone," she said with a really soft and kinda nasal-sounding voice. "I don't wanna talk to you."

"Hey, what happened last night?" I asked. "I'm pretty sure you weren't crying this much before."

"I said I don't wanna talk to you," she insisted.

"Look, I've been listening to you for the past few hours now, and it's starting to bother me. What happened?"

"What does it matter to you?" she replied, "I'm not real person. Not a human. Not a gargoyle. I'm just not. I'm just a half-assed science project. I don't have any parents. I don't have a heritage. No clan, no family. Nothing. I came from nothing, and that's all I am. Nothing."

"Damn, they really messed you up," I said.

"No..." she whispered, "I was always like this, but I never knew it. My whole life, I've always wondered how it was possible for anyone to be hatched like this. Human by day, gargoyle by night. My horrible coloring. And the mark on my back... that mark..."

"What?!" I replied. "You change shape?"

"It all makes sense now," she continued, seemingly ignoring me, "It's all so clear. I was created to emulate Demona. She was human during the day. She shared an immortal bond with MacBeth, like I do with the Prime Ruler."

"Ok, you lost me," I said.

"It's not important," she said, "It's not like I'm ever gonna get out of here anyway. Not the way things are now. Who knows if any of my friends are still alive now? If they are, they probably think I'm dead."

"It figures the one time you tell me anything about yourself," I said, "And you start gushing it all at me."

"I'm sorry," she said, "I'm just so confused."

"YOU'RE confused? At least you know what the hell is going on. I'm completely lost."

"You said your name was Reno, right?"

"Yeah. You gonna tell me yours now?"

"Gold Demona."

"Alright, Gold Demona. Are we cool now?"

"I'm still a sympathizer," she spat at me, "And you're still a bigot."

"Hey, I'm trying here. When I saw you last night, a gargoyle, I didn't know what to think. Other than the fact that you're more than just a gargoyle sympathizer."

"I don't count. I'm not a real gargoyle. I'm not real at all."

"Dude, stop talking like that! It's really depressing!"

"Don't make me play the 'how would you feel if it happened to you' card again."

"Yeah, let's not do that," I replied.

"Cuz it might actually work this time," I thought. "Damn, this is confusing."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Mac)

"Come on, Mac!" Markl pleaded, "My magic can help them! Let me go with them!"

I was busy putting the last tweaks on the communication devices to be given to the ones going into the capitol building. Something I quickly put together so we could all stay in constant contact with each other. It was decided that Vaala, Markl, and Krypto would stay behind with me while everyone else would go into the building to rescue Gold.

Jigen was seated at the center table, loading his firearm as well as several reloading devices. He seemed so focused on it that he hardly said a word to anyone. Even as Markl stood there arguing with me.

"No, I won't allow it," I said, "This mission is a very dangerous one. To tell the truth, I don't feel right sending any of them into such danger. It is not likely that all of them will return from this. I don't think my old heart could bear it if you left with them and didn't come back."

"Hey, I know how to take care of myself! And besides, I'll have Krypto with me. With his speed and strength and my magic, we can handle anything."

"All the same, lad. I'd rather you didn't go. I don't think your old master would approve of you sending yourself to die."

"Master Howl wouldn't want me just sitting around and doing nothing!"

"You're not going."

"I'm not staying!"

"Kid, you're not ready to see real death yet," Jigen interjected as he loaded the last of his reloading devices, "Broken stone is one thing. Blood and gore are a whole other ball game, and there's bound to be lots of it when we're through in there. If not our own, then certainly the soldiers in there."

"Hey, Jigen!" Red barked as she walked in, "We goin' or what?"

"Just making sure I got everything," he said as he pocketed his reloaders.

"Red," Boober called as he followed her in, "Please say you'll reconsider this."

"Don't start that again, Boober. I'm going, and that's that. Jigen's gonna need all the back-up he can get."

"Not to say that he isn't well-suited for combat," Silverbolt added as he and Vaala stepped in.

"But this is dangerous, even for Jigen," Boober replied.

"All the more reason for us to go with him," Silverbolt added.

"Exactly," Red replied, "You don't have to come just because I'm going. If you're too scared, then stay."

"I can't do that," he said, "As much as I'd like to. I can't let you go alone."

She glared at him for a moment, and then she turned and took hold of Boober's scarf.

"Come 'ere," she said as dragged him out of the lab and out of sight.

"He's not actually going, is he?" Vaala asked after they were gone.

"If I know Boober as well as I think I do," Jigen said, "He's got no intention of letting Red go without him."

"Yeah, but do you think he can handle it?" she replied, "I mean, he's not exactly the bravest among us."

"He's a lot braver than he lets on. He'd probably fight the Prime Ruler himself if it meant Red's safety. Let's hope it doesn't come to that."

"The same can be said for you, Jigen," Silverbolt said, "We'll need to be careful once we're inside the building."

"And pray that none of you wind up facing the Prime Ruler," I added. "Because that's a fight with no winning solution to it."

"Not without killing Gold again, anyway," Vaala added.

"Yeah," Jigen replied. "We'll just have to make sure that doesn't happen."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Red)

I dragged him to the statue room so we could be alone.

"Ow! Red! Let go!" He complained as I stopped in the middle of the room and turned to him.

For a long while, I just looked at him, and he looked back at me as he adjusted his scarf back to where it was.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Dammit, Boober!" I said to him, "Why do you do this to yourself?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean this! All this! Staying in New Liberty with me. Going everywhere I'm going, no matter how dangerous it is. You put yourself into this awful danger with me, even when you know you can't handle it. Why do you do that?"

He stepped closer to me and took hold of my shoulders. He lifted his head so he could look me in the eye. There was a sad expression in his eyes as he smiled a sad smile at me.

"Red, don't you know the answer to that by now?"

I couldn't think of anything to say to that, because I did know the answer. I raised my right talon and looked to it as I put it on his arm.

"Boober..."

"Watching Jigen these past few nights," he said, "Seeing him suffer like that. It was horrible. I thought of what might happen to me of something like that were to happen to you. If I lost you, I don't know what I'd do. I can't just sit here and let you go, not without knowing if you'll come back or not."

"Boober, please..." I paused. "This is more dangerous than anything else we've done. You and I both know you're no good in a fight. What are you gonna do, huh?"

He lifted his right talon and used it to lift my face back up so I would look back up at him.

"I'm going with you, Red," he said, "I'm through playing the part of the clan coward. I want to be there for you, to help you when you need it. To protect you and keep you from harm. This... This might end up being my last chance to do that."

"Boober, you're being an idiot!" I said as tears started welling up in my eyes, and I shut my eyes tight for a moment to keep them in, "A big... stupid... idiot."

He smiled at me, and then he bent down and pressed his beak to my lips. Wide-eyed, I immediately pulled back away from him, also freeing myself from his loose grip on my shoulders.

Neither of us said anything for a while. The expression on his face changed as he hung his head.

"I'm sorry," he said as he put his talon behind his head and started stepping back away from me, "Red, I... I shouldn't have done that."

"Boober..."

"I'm sorry," he said as he walked out of the room, "Let's just go. Forget this ever happened."

I watched as he disappeared into the hallway.

"You really shouldn't come with us, Boober," I thought, "I don't want you to die."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Gold Demona)

I stared into the empty blackness. I was still crying. It just wouldn't stop. It was all I could do. My mind replayed over and over again that conversation I had with the Prime Ruler and his scientist, the man who created us. I still couldn't quite get over everything that was said to me. In my mind, I still wasn't quite sure whether or not to believe it, although I knew in heart that all of it was true.

There were some brief moments I wondered what Reno thought of what little he saw of me before he was sedated. I didn't really care enough to ask, but he'd been the only other person I'd spoken to since I'd been put in this prison.

I heard the elevator clank open, and the bright light was shown on me again. This time, there was also a light in Reno's cell across the room, so I could finally see him, a lanky man of spiky red hair with a sloppily worn suit and a pair of goggles on his forehead. He didn't look that much older than me.

The Prime Ruler walked in from the darkness, into my cell, and stopping barely two feet in front of my face, grinning at me. I noticed his arm was in a sling, and that there were bandages around his shoulder.

"Good evening, Demona," he greeted.

"I told you not to call me that!" I growled.

"I will call you that so long as that is your name."

"What do you want?"

"Only to talk," he said, "You are in a great deal of pain, and I wish to ease it."

"Peh! Only because you don't wanna feel it yourself."

"I will not lie to you. Yes, that is true."

"Hey!" Reno yelled, "Hey! Prime Ruler!"

He turned his attention around to Reno.

"Yes?"

"What's the big idea, huh? Just what the hell is goin' on? Why the hell was I put here?! And what the hell are you doing to her?! You both look like crap!"

"Reno is your name, is it not?"

"Yeah. What's it to ya?"

"It would be for your own benefit, Reno, that you keep your questions to yourself. The only questions I will answer are hers."

He motioned his hand in my direction and then turned back again.

"I will however inform you that you were not put here simply for your so-called 'crime'. The only reason you are up here in this very prison is to keep company to my Demona, as she seems to be one who is quite prone to loneliness. She is the only reason I keep you alive. Keep in mind that I can easily have you... removed and replaced if Demona decides that she does not like you."

"Woah, hey! Um, no problem. I like it here. Lots. Yeah. Hey, GD and me, we're good buddies here. Right?"

I didn't say anything. I just stared at him.

"Yeah? GD? Hey! I mean I know we've had our differences, but come on! Work with me here."

The Prime Ruler looked back at me as I continued glaring at Reno.

"You don't seem to like him very much. I cannot have someone here with you that will cause you grief."

I watched Reno started to really tense up, almost panicking, shutting his eyes really tight and silently mouthing word "please" over and over again.

"I get along with Reno just fine," I growled, "It's you I don't like."

"Ah, I see," he replied as he turned completely in my direction.

I noticed that right as the Prime Ruler had turned completely in my direction, Reno looked like he breathed a huge sigh of relief, though I couldn't hear it if he was making any noise. He then silently mouthed the words "thank you" to me a few times. I smiled a little before bringing my attention back to the Prime Ruler, who had his gaze fully fixated on me.

"Already a bit of your pain has eased," he said, "That is good."

"Where's your scientist? Did he get tired of admiring his own handiwork?"

"Professor Hojo is no longer under my employ. I no longer had any use for him, so I had him removed."

"You killed your own creator?"

"He would have died eventually anyway. He is mortal, after all."

"So why are you here?"

"I imagine you still have many questions about us. Our bond. Our mutual immortality. After all, that is quite a task for a man whose studies have been in the realm of science, not sorcery."

"So tell me, already. How did he do it?"

"I will tell you," he said with a grin, "Or better yet... I will show you."

He turned around and held up his good hand.

"Come in, my dear," he said, "Don't be shy."

I watched as a young girl walked into the cell. She had blonde hair and green eyes, but these eyes didn't seem to focus on anything in particular. She wore a nice red dress with red ankle-high boots and a strange-looking band around her head.

"This is Terra," the Prime Ruler introduced as she stepped up beside him, "She is the one who made our link possible."

"Terra..." I repeated, somehow recognizing the name, though I couldn't quite remember where.

"The original Demona and MacBeth were bonded together using magic of the third race. Hojo knew that he would require such magic to complete his project. But how does one gain the assistance of an individual fey without gaining attention from any of the rest, especially Oberon and Titania?"

"Do tell."

"Hojo was a very clever man. He invented a device that would allow him to control a member of the third race."

He pointed to the band on her forehead.

"The slave crown. At first glance, it appears to be a simple band of iron wrapped in fine silk. But inside the iron band is a series of circuits sending signals to the brain, programming the wearer to only do as commanded by her master, which is myself."

"But how does a piece of human technology control such a powerful being?"

"As I said, the band is made of iron, the one element that can truly harm the third race. Wrapped in silk, it still causes the desired affect without harming her. The programming is being emitted through electrical pulses. Energy is energy, whether created by magic or technology, thus is why this so effective. She is not aware of anything that is happening. As far as she is concerned, she is asleep. She is a lovely specimen, though for a fey she is still quite young. In fact, it was her youthful naiveté that allowed Hojo to lure her to his lab and capture her."

I looked at her for a while. Then I remembered where I'd heard the name before.

"She's the one Oberon was looking for," I thought, "The one he said went missing. That's why he felt her magic on me. She made it possible for my two sets of DNA to interchange the way they do. She made this bond between us. And she's been here with them the whole time."

"How is it that Oberon hasn't been able to sense her?" I asked. "Even when using her magic?"

"The band has a handful of spells and charms on it that work to prevent anyone from sensing it. In combination with her own magic working to hide herself, she has managed to keep below the magical radar."

"So what do you want with me?" I asked as I turned my gaze back to him, "Why keep me here? You have your immortality. You can keep going with your life without me. Why do I have to be here?"

"It is quite simple," he replied, "It is to make absolutely sure I know where you are at all times."

"Why does it matter to you where I am?"

He held his hand up to me, pointing upwards.

"Perhaps it would be best if I explained this to you from the very beginning. You don't mind listening to this, do you?"

"Do I actually have a choice?"

"Well, no. You do not. For the entirety of my life, I have been making plans to build an empire. One that would actually succeed in conquering the entire world. I began by electing myself governor of the young state of New Liberty, and then declaring independence from the United States and crowning myself the new country's Prime Ruler. The first small steps towards world domination."

"World domination?" I replied, "That's your ultimate goal?"

"It sounds ridiculous, I know. After all, it has been attempted several times before. However, every man that has tried this all have one thing in common."

"They were selfish bastards with over-inflated egos?"

"They were mortal," he grinned, "Their time in the mortal realm was limited by their mortal human life spans. Having such a large world to conquer in so little time, they take their armies and conquer everything they can as quickly as they can. These men all found themselves making the same mistakes. Taking too much too quickly, and their empire falls as they end their less than productive lives. The simple matter is that one human lifetime is barely long enough to conquer a continent, let alone the entire world. Since I am immortal, I am free to take the world little by little. I shall begin by taking what is left of European Russia. Little by little, taking one piece of the world at a time per generation. Maybe two pieces, if I am feeling particularly ambitious. Taking it slow enough that no one will ever realize what is happening because no one will live long enough to see me take more than one or two countries. By the end of the next two millennia, the entire world shall be under my rule."

"You're insane!"

"Oh yes, quite. The eccentric dream of world domination, and only the truly insane actually try it. The difference is that I actually have a chance at succeeding."

"It's not gonna work! If you're gonna rule the world like you do New Liberty, there's bound to be people that'll go against your unjust laws!"

"If you are referring to my laws against gargoyles, you needn't worry. When I begin expanding New Liberty, these laws shall be lifted and the Hunter force shall be dismantled. The only reason I placed these laws to begin with was so I could find you. Having my Hunters kill all gargoyles they found until they killed you."

"But they've only been killing gargoyles here in New Liberty. What if I was somewhere else? This plan wouldn't have worked then."

"I cannot explain it. Somehow, I knew I would find you. And once you and I died, our bond was completed, halting our growth to our current age and ensuring our immortality. Of course, I ended up having to use my Hunter Killer android to do that. You were incredibly difficult to find. You and your clan. It will please you to know that we still have not found them, as they all successfully eluded my Hunter raid on your apartment building."

"They're alive?" I asked myself in thought.

"This pleases you. That is good."

"But that still doesn't answer why you want to keep me here."

"I am getting to that point. As you know, due to our bond, the only way for me to die is for you to kill me, or vice versa. If you were free to go about your immortal life, what is to stop you from plotting our demise before I have seen my plan to full fruition?"

I stared at him for a moment, disturbed at what I was hearing. I could tell he knew what I was thinking, and I could also tell he was enjoying it. He grinned his creepy grin, which was starting to annoy me.

"So the only reason you have me here," I concluded out loud, "Is to make sure you don't get assassinated."

"Simply put, yes. I, for one, have no desire to die, especially not until after I have completely conquered the world."

"I sense foreign magic, Master," Terra droned softly.

"You do? Where is it coming from?"

Terra then stepped up to be and stopped at my right talon. She lifted her hand to it and started pulling it back. I could feel my cloaker slipping off as it phased through my wrist and out through the shackle into Terra's hand. She stepped back and showed it to the Prime Ruler.

"I see," he said as he took my cloaker from Terra, "So this is the cloaking device. Very interesting. If I remember correctly, it also has a magic charm that prevents the scanners from finding you. I think I will hold onto this. It could prove useful to me in the future."

He grinned at me as he put it in his coat pocket.

"I do hate to cut our conversation short," he said as he checked his watch and turned away, "But I have matters to attend to. I will see you again soon."

"Take your time," I said as I watched him leave.

The lights were shut back off, and the elevator clanked away. When I was sure he was gone, I looked in Reno's direction, even though I couldn't see him and I knew he couldn't see me.

"I think it's safe for you to talk now," I said to him.

"Aw, damn," he sighed, "That sure was confusing as hell. And oh man! I really thought I was gonna bite the big one right then! Not that I'm not eternally grateful for what you did, but why'd you do it? He said he could easily 'remove and replace' me, and the next guy might actually be a sympathizer like you. Why'd you do it?"

"Because I knew that would mean you'd be killed," I answered, "I was pretty much being given the choice of whether you live or die. And given a choice like that, I'll always choose life. No one deserves to die just for having an opinion, even if it is a prejudiced one."

"Listen, GD. We got off on the wrong foot here. It's pretty obvious that we're gonna be stuck as cellmates for a long while, and I'd like things to not be so hostile between us, ya know? And I don't just mean because my life depends on whether or not you like me. I mean if you actually don't like me, I'm cool with that. I wouldn't really blame you. But I've been thinking about things, which isn't an easy thing for me to do, mind you. Thinking I mean. Well, what I mean to say is--"

"Reno?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't call me GD. Gold will be fine."

"Gold. Okay. I can handle that."

"Then I guess we don't have a problem."

"So are you done with this whole 'I'm not real' kick now? Cuz I gotta tell ya. That was really depressing."

"I don't know. Like you said, things have been really confusing lately. It really makes me wonder if anything in my life really meant anything. Oh well. At least I can feel better knowing that my clan got away safely."

"You have a clan? Damn, you really ARE a sympathizer. So, did you just happen to find them and adopt 'em as your own or something?"

"Well," I said with a pause, "I guess you can say we kind of adopted each other."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Mac)

"Alroight, lady and gents," Jake's voice rang from the speakers of my computer. "We're entering the front doors. This is it. There's no turning back."

"Can everyone hear me?" I asked, holding down the key that allowed me to speak with them.

"Loud and clear, luv," Jake replied. "How about the rest of you?"

They all responded at once, but I could hear all of them.

"Good," Mac replied, "Let's get this done then."

"Couldn't have said it better myself," Jigen replied.

"Please don't go getting yourself killed, Jigen," Vaala said as I continued holding down the key.

"I'm not leaving without Gold," he replied, "If I can't get her out of here, I'm not leaving at all."

"We will get her out," Silverbolt added, "Of that I am certain."

"But what if we get caught?" Boober asked.

"Then we'll deal with it," Red answered. "Quit whining."

"That's roight," Jake replied, "We've little time for yapping. We've got a job to do, mates, so lets get to it."

"We'll be in touch," I said.

"We'll see ya on the flip side, luv," Jake replied as I released the key on my keyboard, ending my half of the communication.

I could hear everything everyone was saying, and they could hear each other. But for them to hear me, I would have to hold down that key again.

"Everything is under way," I said as I watched the flickering dots on the screen, one for each of the communications devices in their ears, moving across the schematic of the building's first floor.

"Do you think they might actually succeed?" Vaala asked in a quiet and quite worried tone. "There's a hell of a lot of security in there."

"To be perfectly honest, I have my doubts," I answered. "I haven't the foggiest idea what's to happen next. As determined as they are to do this, particularly Jigen, we can't hold them back from it. We'll just have to wait and see."

"Do you think the schematics Blackarachnia gave us are actually accurate?"

"We have no way of testing their authenticity, but we also have no other map to the upper levels of the building. Jake may work in the building, but he only works in the lower fifteen floors. According to him, the schematics for those floors are accurate, so we can only hope the same is true for the rest of them."

"I just hope they can get Gold out of there without getting into too much trouble."

"Aye, so do I."

I watched the screen for a moment, and then a thought suddenly occurred to me. I looked around the lab and then rose from my chair.

"What is it?" Vaala asked, as I turned my gaze to her.

"Markl," I replied.

The worried expression returned to her face as we both searched the apartment for him, finding not a trace of either him or Krypto. We met again in the hall.

"You don't think he--?"

"Oh no..."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Prime Ruler Bethovich)

"What an interesting device this is," I said as I closely inspected the cloaking device Terra had taken from Gold Demona. "This Professor Hen truly is a genius to have invented something of this sort."

"Commentary: It would appear so, Master," HK-47 replied as he and Terra walked alongside me, "She and her group did manage to escape the Hunter raid in Paradigm City. If my approximations are correct, they have probably left the country by now."

"I am not quite so certain of that," I replied as I placed the cloak in my coat pocket, "I felt a great relief in her suffering when I informed her of their well-being. If they all feel as she does for each other, it is likely they will come here for her."

"Query: How are you so certain they will make such an attempt? It is true they may hold this strangely meatbag attachment to her, but as far as anyone knows, she is dead."

"As I have stated before, HK-47," I replied as we entered the security room, "The Professor is a genius. She will surely figure out our connection and devise a plan to rescue her. We will need to make the proper preparations."

I approached the main computer and took the cloaking device from my pocket.

"Computer," I said as I placed the cloaking device in the scanning unit. "Scan and analyze."

"Scanning..." The computer replied, "Scan complete. Enter command."

"Program to periodically scan the building for anyone wearing a device similar to this one," I said. "And report it directly to me."

"Command accepted," It replied, "Beginning scan..."

"Excellent," I said. "And now, all we do is wait."

"Match found," chimed the computer.

"In the building?"

"Affirmative. Signatures with matching pattern found in the civilian elevator shaft, destination set to the upper floors."

"Prepare automated security measures for the highest floor that elevator is set to. Engage on my mark."

"Executing..."

"Query: Shall I warm up my blaster rifle, Master?"

"Yes, I think you should. If they are to take the elevators up, they will need to switch from the civilian elevator to the military, and then switch again to my private elevator to reach the dungeon floor. I think I will station you at the highest floor of the military elevator. If anyone should survive the first wave of defense, they should prove a worthy fight for you."

"Statement: As you wish, Master," he replied as he began to walk away, "I will go at once and prepare for combat."

"See that you do," I replied as he disappeared from sight, leaving me alone with Terra. "Terra, my dear. I will have you stationed on the floor at the center of the building, directly in between the automated system and HK-47. You will stop the elevator when it reaches your floor and kill whoever is in it. You will keep doing this until I call for you to return."

She said nothing, but I knew she understood my commands. She conjured a portal beneath herself and descended into it, sending her to the destination I ordered for her. I smiled and began to laugh.

"A noble effort," I thought, "But you will not take my prize from me so easily."

**(To Be Continued...)**


	33. Chapter 32: In The Fray

Gold Demona

**Chapter XXXII**

In The Fray

(Who?)

(At the United Nations...)(January 2111 A.D.)

"Inspector Zenigata," Echoed one of the men in the assembled crowd of world leaders, "Surely you can't be suggesting that the United Nations is so blind that we would not SEE such atrocity if it happened right under our noses? What proof do you have of this?"

"I got it right here!" The Inspector yelled, holding up a computer disk for everyone to see. "I've inspected this disk myself. It has everything. One look at this and you'll see that I'm telling the truth!"

"Inspector," Said one of Europe's leaders, "Whether your case is true or not, we of the United Nations can't take immediate action on a nation that isn't a member of this organization."

"You didn't even LOOK at this! Everything you need to know is all right here! All ya gotta do is have yer so-called intelligence take one look at this, and then we can go in there and do something! People are dying over there! I barely got the hell outta there in one piece!"

"And how, pray tell, DID you get out of there, Inspector?" Asked another leader.

"I'll answer that," I said as I rose from my seat and walked down to where the Inspector was.

He stood there and gawked at me as I smiled at him. He was speechless, not that I could blame him. It was obvious that he never expected to see me at this meeting. I put my hand on his shoulder.

"I think I'll take it from here, Inspector," I said to him.

"It's you..." he stuttered, "You're--"

"Don't worry, Inspector," I interrupted, "I have it all under control."

He smiled at me and nodded as I then turned my attention to the assembled UN.

"The Inspector here was rescued by a group of talented individuals stationed all over New Liberty who have dedicated these past several months to safely escorting gargoyles out of the country."

"Mr. Xanatos," Said another leader, "This is a governmental matter. What business is it of yours? ...And for that matter, how the hell did you even get IN here?"

"I used the door, the same way you did, Mr. President," I replied, "As you may well know by now, this is also a gargoyle matter. Many gargoyle lives are being unjustly taken. As a Xanatos, I can't allow that. That's why I assembled the Crimson Pig Express and the Rescuers Railway."

"Crimson Pig Express?"

"Rescuers Railway?"

"The two 'underground railroad' systems that make up the network I helped develop to get these gargoyles out of New Liberty," I explained. "The Inspector here was kind enough to volunteer his efforts to our cause by investigating the government itself, risking his own life to find evidence of the truth so that he can present it to all of you here tonight. The only reason I'm here is so the Inspector's case is seen in its entirety. I can lead all the gargoyles out of New Liberty, but I can't topple the Prime Ruler. In the end, it is up to you whether or not he should be allowed to continue where he stands."

"As much as we'd like to believe you, Mr. Xanatos, you have no real proof. That computer disk the Inspector holds in his talons may vary well be a fabrication."

"What if I were to tell you that this disk came from a former member of the Prime Ruler's council?" I pointed out, "Someone from the innermost workings of New Liberty's government?"

"Huh?" The Inspector replied. "Someone on the inside?"

"We can't go by your words alone, Mr. Xanatos. You were never even in New Liberty, so how can we take your word for any of this?"

I turned my gaze to the door on the far end of the stage, which was opening to let in a rather large group of gargoyles that I had personally invited to join me here. They all walked in and assembled behind me.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Bellowed one of the leaders.

As I was being bellowed at, one light red male with jet black hair and a bright red jacket walked up to me.

"I hope we're not too late," he greeted as we shook hands. "We had a little trouble finding all of 'em."

"Not at all, my friend," I replied, "You're just in time."

He grinned at me and then turned to the Inspector, "Hiya, Pops!"

"Lupin?" he replied.

"Mr. Xanatos!" They bellowed again, "I certainly hope you have a good explanation for allowing such a notorious criminal into the chambers! And who are all these others?!"

"I have a perfectly good explanation," I said, "Since you can't take my word for this case, then perhaps you can take theirs. Each and every gargoyle you see here on this stage was rescued from New Liberty, and that includes Lupin and his associates. Many of these gargoyles have lost their clans to the Prime Ruler's Hunters. Some have even lost more than that."

As I said that I turned to the group behind me, turning my gaze first to the three gargoyles who were the first to leave New Liberty since the border's closing.

"Gobo," I called to the leader of the small band standing among the group, "Would you and your band like to go first?"

"Sure," he said as he stepped up to the podium, his two bandmates stepping up behind him.

"Should we really be wasting our time with this?"

"If you truly believe in a free world for both our races, Mr. Prime Minister," I replied, "Then you'll hear what they have to say."

"Ugh, very well," he sighed, "Get on with it."

"My name is Gobo, sir," he said and then pointed to his two bandmates, "And this is my band, Fraggle Rock, or at least what's left of it, eh."

"Did you lose your bandmates to these supposed Hunters?"

"Well, they didn't die, if that's what you mean. They stayed in New Liberty to help with Mr. Xanatos' cause. We left so we could speak through our music the awful things that've been happening behind the closed border."

"My little girl listens to your group, Mr. Gobo," Replied the President of the United States. "She's an avid fan of yours and had often asked me where you all disappeared to before your sudden reemergence a few months ago. Are you saying that all this time you've been in New Liberty?"

"That's right, we were. We were wandering the country trying to find a safe way out until we ran into Mr. Xanatos' group."

"And I'm guessing that's where your other guitarist is? My little girl listens to your new album constantly, and she definitely noticed the missing band member. She'll want to know if this is a permanent arrangement."

"This is how it'll be until things in New Liberty change for the better, eh. Red's over there fighting for every gargoyle's right to exist. She and everyone else down there with her."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Jigen)

"Achoo!" Red sneezed and started wiping her nose. "Dang, there's too much dirt in this elevator."

We were in the elevator, rising to the fifteenth floor, which was the highest this elevator could go. After reaching the fifteenth floor, we'd find a way to get into the military elevator, which went most of the way up and stopped at the top fifteen floors, which were only accessible to the Prime Ruler and his council in the private elevator. That is, of course, assuming that the information Blackarachnia gave us was accurate. As much as I hated having to put my trust in someone like her, we didn't have anything else to go by.

"We're almost to the fifteenth floor," Silverbolt announced, "So far so good."

"This is looking like a piece of cake," Red added.

"Don't let your guard down," I said, "There's no telling what we'll find on the way up."

"You don't look so good, mate," Jake said to Boober, "You feelin' alright?"

"Yes," Boober answered through his quick breathing, "I'm fine."

"It's too late to turn back now," I pointed out, "You do know that, right?"

"I know," he said, "I never had any intention of turning back. I'll be fine."

"Good," I said as the elevator lurched to a stop, "Cuz here's our floor."

The door slowly opened, revealing a mess of automatic machinegun fire coming from a group of large attack robots. With all the chaos, I couldn't really see how many there were altogether. They were about seven feet in height, black in color, humanoid in shape but with heads shaped like UFOs, and each equipped with a pair of machineguns with several yards of ammunition loaded into them.

Scrambling around in the middle of that mess was Blackarachnia, somehow managing not to get hit by any of the bullets.

"Blackarachnia!" Silverbolt yelled as he immediately jumped into the fray, swords drawn.

He sliced away at one of the robots as he leapt to Blackarachnia's side.

The rest of us ran out of the elevator and split up. Red and Boober went their own way, and I was about to draw my gun when Jake tugged at my arm.

"Hang on," he said.

"What?!" I retorted, unsure why he stopped me.

"You've got someone waiting on you, mate," he said and pointed upwards, "We need to get someone from the military to get you into the other elevator. I know who to look for and where I'll find him, but I'll need your help to persuade him to help."

"Alright," I replied as I followed him away from the mess, occasionally glancing over in case I was needed.

He calmly looked around as we walked all the way to the other side of the floor. The fifteenth floor looked kind of like a shopping mall, with a variety of stores lining the sides and rear and a large space in the middle. Plenty of room to move around in a fight. I followed Jake as he walked right into the men's room.

"Looking for a soldier in the restroom?" I thought.

As we walked in, I didn't see anybody at first, but then I noticed a pair of combat boots in one of the stalls. Jake knocked on the stall door.

"Yeah, whaddaya want?" he grunted.

"Sorry to bug ya, mate," Jake said to him, "But there's a bit of an urgency outside. Got gargoyles on the loose."

"That you, Jake?" he replied as I saw the pants lift up, "Psh, I wouldn't worry about it. Those Swat Bots are top of the line."

I heard the toilet flush as the stall door opened, and as the small-figured military man walked out of the stall, I knew exactly what to do.

"Now, mate!" Jake yelled.

I grabbed the guy and took his gun. I tossed it to Jake as I twisted him up so I could hold him down one-handed as I pulled out my own gun and pointed it into the side of his head.

"Aaahhh!" He yelled as all this happened, "Whaddaya want?!"

"I'll make it real easy for you, mate," Jake said as he got into the guy's view in the mirror and pointed to himself. "Look here."

The guy slowly turned his gaze at Jake.

"Good man. Now listen closely, mate, cuz I'll only say this once. This gentleman's got a long way to go, and you're gonna take him there, and you're not gonna give him any trouble about it."

I took this opportunity and pressed my gun closer to his head. Jake leaned closer to him.

"Right?" he finished.

"Right. Right! No trouble! I promise!"

"Good," Jake replied and shouldered the guy's gun as I holstered mine and loosened my hold on him, but still keeping a firm grip on his wrist. "Now git!"

"I can get you fired for this, Jake!" he quivered.

"Eh, I never loiked this job anyway. Well, what're ya waiting for, mate? You've got a damsel to go save."

"Thanks," I asked, "What're you gonna do?"

"I'm gonna join the foight," he replied and cocked the gun. "Now go!"

I nodded and dragged the guy out with me. Jake ran out behind me and started shooting immediately as I continued running towards the elevator, dragging the spineless soldier with me.

"You're here to save somebody?" he asked as we got to the elevator.

"It's none of your business," I said, "Just open it."

"How do I know you won't shoot me?"

"Look, I don't have time for this! You don't have to go up with me! You can leave after you open it! Now do it!"

"Alright, alright," he said as he used his free hand to swipe his card and press his thumb on the security device. "You know, you're on your own if you wanna get to the prison floor. Only the Prime Ruler and his council can get there, and the council's all dead."

"Not all of 'em," I said as the elevator opened and I walked in, letting go of the guy's wrist. "Thanks."

He just stood there and watched me as I hit the button for the highest floor it would go and the doors started to shut between us. I looked past him at the messy firefight going on behind him. I pulled out my gun, and the guy ducked as I fired a round at one of the robots, disabling one of its guns.

"It's not much," I thought as the doors finished closing, "But it's better than no help at all."

I could feel the sudden lurch as the elevator started on its way upwards. I put my gun away and leaned back on the back wall.

"Oh my, what excitement," said a small elderly voice from seemingly nowhere.

I looked around until I noticed a very small elderly man standing beside me. He was no more than three and a half feet tall, with a big white moustache and beard covering most of his face. He also wore a blue cloak, hood raised over his head. He slowly turned his head and looked up at me as I stared at him. What I could see of his face was badly wrinkled.

"When did you get in here?" I asked.

"Right when you did," he answered, "What, you didn't see me? I know I'm a very small man, but I'm sure I'm not invisible."

"I, uh, just didn't notice you."

"Well, don't feel too bad. I get that a lot. So I'm used to it."

"Hm."

I looked away from him and just stared at the elevator door.

"This is gonna be a long ride up," I thought.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Silverbolt)

"Blackarachnia!" I called to her as I practically flew to her side.

I swung both of my swords at the robot that stepped in between us as I ran, slicing its body into three pieces. We stood back to back for a moment as the robots momentarily stopped firing.

"Will you allow me the honor of this dance, my lady?" I asked as the robots stared at me, as if examining their newest enemy.

"Corny as usual," she replied, "What took you so long?"

"Traffic," I answered, "And the elevator was slow."

"Yeah right. At any rate, now that you're here, I might actually get the chance to attack these walking tin cans instead of wasting my energy dodging everything."

"So then, should we get on with this?"

"Let's dance!" She growled and lunged at the closest robot, barbed wings outstretched and foreclaws extended.

I leapt to the side as the barrage of gunfire continued. I ran on all fours for quicker turns, a difficult thing to do while carrying a sword in each talon. I was careful not to cross the paths of any of the other robots as I attempted to make my way closer to the one that was currently shooting at me.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Red)

"Damn, that thing's fast!" I thought as I ran around on all fours trying my best not to get hit.

I couldn't see where anyone else went, but I was sure they were dodging bullets too. I only had one robot shooting at me, but it was enough to keep me running. My original plan was to run up to it while it was still focused on Blackarachnia and then hack it to pieces with my claws, but that plan was shot when it pointed its gun at me before I could get halfway to it. It was shooting in such a way that I couldn't get closer to it without risk of getting shot, so I was pretty much stuck in evasive mode.

"I hope it runs out of bullets or something soon," I thought to myself, "I can't do this forever."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Jigen)

I had an uneasy feeling the whole way up, not just because of the danger that waited above me, but also because of the old man riding the elevator with me. I couldn't help but feel like I knew him from somewhere, but for the life of me I couldn't think where. It wasn't a bad feeling with him, but it did make me feel uncomfortable, and that feeling got worse as the elevator suddenly stopped halfway up the building.

"This can't be good," I thought.

"You'd better stay back, old man," I said as I reached back for my gun, "This could get ugly real fast."

"Jigen, look out!" he yelled as he shoved me to the back wall, though the yell sounded a lot younger.

"What the hell?!" I yelled.

"Force field!" he yelled as he held his arms up and a big screen of blue energy covered the elevator door and that whole wall.

Almost as soon as he put up the shield, a storm of magic plowed into it, completely disintegrating the elevator door and pushing the old man back a bit. After a few seconds, I realized that the image of the old man was replace by a young male gargoyle on the back of a large white dog beast.

"Markl?!" I yelled in shock.

He didn't answer. He was too busy trying to keep his focus on holding up the force field that was barely holding back the huge flow of magic that was tearing at the doorway of the elevator.

When the flow finally stopped and faded away, we could see who was casting it. She was a young blonde woman wearing a red outfit and a thick band around her head.

"I'll take care of this," Markl said, keeping his gaze fixated on the girl. "You keep going."

"Hey, no way!" I replied, "This ain't a game, kid. You could really--"

"Just go!" he interrupted as Krypto carried him out of the elevator. "Save Gold!"

As they made their quick exit, Markl reached up and hit the top floor button.

"She's waiting for you!" he yelled as the elevator lifted me away.

"Just be careful, kid," I thought as that floor disappeared from sight and more floors started shooting past the large hole where the door used to be.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Markl)

"GRRRR!!!" Krypto growled at the sorceress standing in front of us. "RAR RAR RAR RRRRRRR!!"

"There's something weird about her, Krypto," I whispered to him, "Something really weird. We have to be careful."

She just stood there, staring at us. Her face didn't change at all the whole time. It was never happy or sad or even angry. It was just blank. She acted more like a robot than a person. I couldn't tell if she was trying to figure us out or deciding what spell she was gonna use on us next.

She pointed her hand at us, and then Krypto started running.

"Fira," she said in a dull voice as she shot a blast of fire magic at us.

Krypto barely managed to get us out of the way. The blast whooshed past behind us and blew a hole in the wall.

"That looked like Esperean magic," I thought.

"Blaze Sphere!" I yelled and shot my own ball of fire magic at her.

"Reflect," she said.

A force field appeared in front of her and bounced my spell back at us. Krypto ran out of the way, but just barely.

"That IS Esperean magic," I thought. "That's one of the hardest forms of magic to master."

"Blizzaga," She shot a wave of ice magic at us.

"Advanced Esperean magic, too. Dang!" I thought as we dodged the attack. "That reflect spell's gonna stay on her for a while. I won't be able to cast anything on her. I need to think of something fast if I'm gonna win this."

"Meteor," A huge blast that looked like a meteor shot in my direction, and I knew it was too big and fast for Krypto to dodge.

"Force Field TWO!" I yelled as Krypto turned to face her so my force field could take full effect.

The meteor slammed into my force field, pushing me all the way to the wall. It was really strong, but I knew I had to be stronger. So I kept pushing back until the force field finally sent the meteor flying back at her. It hit her and sent her flying backwards. She landed on her back and skidded across the floor.

"That's it," I thought as I caught my breath, "I gotta hit her with her own magic. She can't reflect magic that's already being reflected. But that last spell was a really strong one. I can't do this for much longer."

She got up really slowly. When she stood back up, her eyes were glowing a really bright white.

"You are strong for a mortal," she said as she clenched her fists, "But now you will die."

"Huh?!" I said.

"But human eyes don't glow!" I thought, "That can only mean...!"

There were huge sparks spreading from her fists all over her body until she was covered with a bright light. When the light faded, the first thing I noticed was that she'd changed form. She was covered from head to toe in pink fur, and she wasn't wearing any clothes, except for the dark band around her head. Her long hair turned pink to match the rest of her body and it looked like it was floating up into the air. Her face looked kinda like a cat face, and her fingers and toes had catlike claws on them.

"She's one of the third race..." I thought as I suddenly learned just how hard this fight was gonna be. "But why is she working with someone as evil as the Prime Ruler?!"

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Jigen)

My trigger claw was twitching, anticipating the fight I knew was coming.

"No doubt that robot's waiting for me at the top," I thought. "Damn, this elevator's too slow."

I looked up at the gauge that was supposed to display what floor I was at, but the magic blast from before fried the whole screen. I wasn't entirely sure why I kept looking at it, even when I knew it wasn't going to tell me anything. The only thing I could do was to count the doors of each floor as they passed the hole in front of me. I breathed a growling sigh as I waited.

Then the elevator lurched to a stop and made a dinging noise as the doors started to open. I jumped to the side and pressed my body to the wall, gun drawn and ready to fire. I caped my wings over my shoulders so they wouldn't get in my way. As the doors finished opening there was a storm of laser blasts pouring into the elevator.

"Lasers..." I thought, "Perfect."

"Commentary: I know you're in there, meatbag," said the very familiar voice of the robot that killed Gold. "It would be easier for both of us if you would simply come out of there. Of course, that would only mean a quicker death for you, which honestly would not bring me much satisfaction."

"You mean a quicker death for you!" I yelled back as I turned around and reached past the doorway, pointing my gun right at his chest.

I fired two rounds, and both hit him square in the chest. One making a slight dent, the other making it deeper. As soon as I fired the second shot, I pulled back to the wall where I was as more laser blasts blew past the doorway.

"Acclamation: Very impressive. Until now, I have not known a meatbag that could hit the exact same spot consecutively. However, you will have to do more than that if you have any hope of defeating me."

I could hear his footsteps, but he wasn't stepping closer to the elevator.

"He's probably turning so I don't hit his chest again," I thought.

"Query: Do you wish to come out and fight me, or do you intend to hide in the elevator all night? Statement: I'd really rather this ended before the sun rose. I would prefer to see the spilling of blood over bits of broken stone."

"You sure talk a lot for a combat robot," I yelled as I pulled back on the hammer of my gun, "How about this? How about we cut the crap this over with?"

"Response: That is precisely what I had in mind, meatbag."

"Alright then," I replied and leapt out of the elevator, gun pointed right at him.

I fired four shots, all hitting him in various joints. Only one did any damage, and it wasn't much.

He pointed his rifle at me as I ran on all fours. He fired his shots and only barely missed. I was glad right then that he was using a laser rifle to fight me so I could see where the shots were going. If not, I knew this fight would've been over quick.

I found a pillar to use as cover, so I leapt behind it and took a moment to reload my gun. I emptied the used shells and plugged in one of my reloaders. I reloaded, threw it out, cocked the gun and started shooting again from behind the pillar. The robot kept firing at me as I fired at him.

"Dammit, this isn't getting me anywhere," I thought, "I'd better start focusing on a specific target."

As I fired a couple more shots at him, I noted the dent I put in his chest. He was turned sideways, though. So I couldn't get a clear shot at it from where I was, but I knew that's where I had to focus my attacks.

I rolled out from behind the pillar and ran to the next one, all the while dodging everything he shot at me. When I shot from behind that pillar, I could see the dent clear as day, and I aimed for it. Four shots hit that spot, each one pushing the dent slightly further. His eyes got brighter as I ducked back behind the pillar and reloaded my gun again. I could hear him growling his strange mechanical growl as he took a few steps to turn away.

"I got him mad," I thought with a grin as I threw my reloader away, "Good. It means I'm hitting the right spot. If I can just keep hitting him there, I might actually beat him."

I ran back the other way to the pillar I was at before, and the robot continued firing its lasers at me. It was standing sideways again, so I held my fire. I ran past that pillar and continued running to the next one. He fired a shot in front of me, making me jump up and over it so I could tumble to the cover of the next pillar.

I stopped there and pulled back on the hammer. I turned around the side of the pillar and aimed at his chest, but it was still turned sideways. I pulled my gun back and ducked back as he fired a few shots where I'd just peaked out.

"He's on to me," I thought. "Gotta think of something else."

"Statement: This is getting old, meatbag," he said as I heard his thruster jets start up. "Time for a little cat and mouse."

He flew across the room and around the pillar where I was.

"Shit!" I yelled as I shot him in the eye and scrambled away.

He delayed a moment before flying after me, blasting his lasers at me as I ran. I looked back for a moment, and saw another opportunity. I fired two more shots at his chest, making the dent even deeper, and that last shot lodged itself in his chestplate. If he wasn't pissed at me before, he sure as hell was after that. His jets practically exploded as they blasted to full power. I could hear some shots being fired as a very sharp pain pierced straight through my left shoulder.

"Dammit!" I yelled as I grabbed my bleeding shoulder, "Why is it always the frickin' shoulder?!"

I quickly turned around and fired at his feet. I managed to hit one of them and disable the jet on that foot, sending him spinning out of control. He flew past me, still managing to fire his shots at me with fairly good accuracy. He kept spinning until he crashed into one of the pillars, crumbling it to pieces as it fell ontop of him.

I stood there for a moment, catching my breath. That was the most running I'd done in a while. I was about to put my gun away when the robot exploded out of rubble. I started running again as he stepped over the rubble and continued firing his lasers at me.

"Son of a bitch!" I thought, "Why won't this thing just die?!"

I fired what was left in my gun at his chest and immediately reached for my next reloader. That shot lodged itself into the hole as it shoved the previous one into his chassis. He made a weird garbling sound as I emptied my shells and reloaded my gun.

"You piece of shit, die!" I yelled as I shot four rounds right at his chest.

Each bullet shoved the previous into his chest through the hole I'd made, until the last one just went straight through. I could see some sparks shooting out of the hole as his eyes started blinking on and off. He wobbled some, like he was drunk. He dropped his gun and fell to his knees.

I walked up to him and kicked his gun away to make sure he didn't use it again. I put my gun away and grabbed his head. I yanked it off his robot body and brought it up to my eye level. I put my other talon on his head.

"You're the bastard that killed Gold," I growled to him, my eyes still flaring white from the fight. "And now you'll die."

I brought my talons together, crushing his head in between them. I brought my foot up and stomped on his upper torso. I bent down and started tearing through his metal body, ripping out all his boards and circuits with my talons, and crushing them to pieces as I grabbed them. I wanted to be sure he was dead.

When I was done, I got back up and grabbed my shoulder again. The pain in my shoulder was starting to dull down, and the bleeding stopped. I backed up from the robot and looked over to the elevator.

"Soon, Gold," I thought. "Very soon."

I walked up to the Prime Ruler's private elevator, which was right next to the military one I'd come up in. I noticed a handprint scanner off to the side.

"Hm," I said as I walked back to the robot. "You won't be needing this anymore."

I tore his hand right off his arm and took it to the elevator. I noticed that the grips on his palm were shaped just like a human handprint.

"Weird," I thought as I pressed it to the scanner.

It scanned the handprint and made a beeping noise.

"Profile identified," I heard the speakers say from above the elevator doors, "Welcome, HK-47."

It made a whirring noise, and the doors opened in front of me.

"HK-47, huh?" I chuckled as I threw the hand away and walked in.

I pressed the button for the prison floor and leaned back as the doors closed and the elevator started on its way up.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Mac)

"Mac! Wait up!" Vaala panted as she ran several paces behind me.

I stopped for a moment so she could catch up. As soon as she did, she bent over and place her hands to her knees.

After realizing where Markl may have gone, I rushed from the apartment as quickly as I could, and Vaala followed close behind me. At least she followed as close as a human could while keeping up with a gargoyle running at full sprint.

"Hang on..." she panted, "A minute... I can't... run anymore."

"Vaala, we haven't time to waste," I said, "We're only halfway there."

"I'm not used... to running this much... Gimme a break..."

"Agh, fine."

I crossed my arms and leaned back on the wall of the building beside us as she rested. I couldn't bear the thought of Markl going to the capitol building on his own. Even with Krypto at his side, I knew it was far too dangerous.

"Hey Mac?"

"Aye."

"He'll be alright. He's a strong kid."

"I know," I said as I looked to the ground. "But I can't help but worry. He's still just a child."

"Yeah," she replied as she got back up and placed her hand on my shoulder, "But remember what a gifted sorcerer he is, and besides that, Krypto's probably with him. So he stands about as much chance of surviving as the rest of them."

"Aye," I said as I turned my gaze to her, "That's what worries me."

There was a long awkward silence following that. The two of us stared at each other for a moment.

"I take that to mean you're rested now?" I asked.

"Oh, yeah."

"Good," I replied and continued my sprint for the building.

"Hey! Wait for me!"

**(To Be Continued...)**


	34. Chapter 33: Into The Fire

Gold Demona

**Chapter XXXIII**

Into The Fire

(Alexander Xanatos)

(At the United Nations...)(January 2111 A.D.)

"Why the hell won't you do anything?!" yelled the short, tan, loud male at the podium, "My clan had to live in a damn mine to keep from being killed by the Hunters! The children couldn't go to school! We were forced to eat the weeds, roots and moss that were growing around the mine!"

"Mr. Gummi," one of the leaders replies, "We need to hear everyone's account before we can decide on anything. If you've finished with yours, we can move on to the next."

"This is outrageous!" he yelled, eyes flaring white.

"Well, if you'd let us stay there like I wanted us to, Gruffi," yelled the tall tan female behind him, "WE could be doing something about it!"

"And allow you to continue your so-called plans for revenge?!" he yelled as he turned back to her, "I think not! We've lost enough of our clan to your insane ideas of justice! We need people who can actually do it!"

"And you're putting your faith in THEM?!"

"It's better than throwing our own clan to their deaths!"

"While other clans continue dying within the border, we're wasting our time here! They're politicians, not warriors!"

"We're not warriors either, Ursa!"

She fell silent, frustrated and trying to find a comeback.

"Look at what's left of our clan. They can't fight. You know that. Some of them are only children, including your son. Are you really so willing to throw their lives away? Isn't that why you decided to leave New Liberty with me?"

She didn't say anything. She just turned around and walked back to the crowd. Gruffi turned back to the podium.

"I don't have anything else to say," he said as he followed Ursa back.

As he passed me, he gave me a stern look.

"I sure hope you know what you're doing," he said to me. "Ursa's right about one thing. This really does seem to be a waste of time."

"Don't you worry, my friend," I assured him, patting him on the shoulder as he passed, "I've still got some aces up my sleeve."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Gold Demona)

"It sure is noisy tonight," Reno said, referring to the strange rumbling noises we'd been hearing.

"I wonder what it is?" I replied.

"Beats the heck out of me."

I heard the elevator clank open, and some footsteps afterward. Except these footsteps didn't sound like usual, and the light didn't come on. This person just fumbled around in the dark.

"Son of a bitch, it's dark in here," said a voice I thought I'd never hear again.

Then I heard a metal cigarette lighter flip open, and then a small flame that illuminated the one holding it.

"Jigen?" I said, not quite believing what I was seeing.

He froze for a moment and then pointed the lighter in my general direction.

"Gold?" he replied.

"JIGEN!" I yelled in excitement and started bouncing in my chains, "Oh my God, I can't believe it's you!"

"Holy shit, you're really alive!" he said as he used his talon to crush the lock and open the door to my cell.

He ran up to me, holding the lighter up so we could see each other. He still had his cloaker turned on, although I was having trouble seeing it with all the tears in my eyes. I was so happy. I thought I was in a dream. In my mind, there was no way this could've been real. As soon as he was within reach, he pressed his beak to my lips, and I knew for sure that I wasn't dreaming.

"Aw Gold, am I ever glad Mac was right," he said to me as he reached his talon up and touched my face.

"I'm just so happy you're alive," I sobbed, not quite understanding what he was talking about.

"Me too," he replied and looked around me, "Now let's get you outta here."

He reached up with both talons and yanked on one of the chains that held my wrists. After he broke it off, he bent down and grabbed the chains that held my feet under the seat.

"Man, this is the weirdest prison I've ever seen," he grunted as he started pulling on the chain. "And I've seen a lot of prisons."

"Yeah, I know," I replied as I reached my freed talon to the other chain, "But I guess it's so I'd be sitting down and still eyelevel with the Prime Ruler when he comes down here."

I yanked on the chain as hard as I could, and it broke off. Afterwards, there was a huge pain all over my still dislocated shoulder.

"Ah!" I yelped.

"What happened?" he asked as he finished breaking my leg chains and rose back up to me.

"It's nothing," I said.

"You did this to yourself, didn't you?" he asked, "To hurt the Prime Ruler?"

"How do you--?"

"Brace yourself," he interrupted as he grabbed my arm and shoulder.

I clenched my teeth as he yanked my arm out from where it was and popped it back into place. The pain was horrible, but knowing that the Prime Ruler was feeling it, too, I didn't mind it so much.

"So it's true, huh?" Jigen asked, "You and the Prime Ruler got some magic link with each other? You share his wounds. He shares yours. And because of this link, you can't die?"

"Unfortunately," I answered as I moved my arm a bit and got off my elevated prison bench.

"We don't have time to stand around. Just about everybody's fighting for their lives downstairs, and they need help."

"They all came?"

"I wouldn't have gotten this far if they didn't," he answered and walked out of the cell, "Cloak up, and let's go."

"I can't," I said as I followed him out but stopped at the cell across from mine, "The Prime Ruler took my cloaker."

"Well, that explains why they haven't been very useful here. Wait, what're you doing?"

I broke the lock with my talons and ran up to where Reno was chained up.

"I was wondering if you were gonna remember about ol' Reno," He said.

"I can't just leave you here," I replied as I grabbed one of his wrist chains with both talons and yanked it apart. "Without me here, you'd definitely be killed."

"You know, for someone who's supposedly 'not a real person', you sure care a lot about other people."

"Oh shut up."

"Not a real person?" Jigen repeated, "Gold, what does he mean by that?"

"It's not important," I replied as I yanked the other chains to free Reno. "Let's just go."

He jumped down and followed us to the elevator, which was MUCH more lit than the prison we were just in. Jigen hit one of the buttons, and the elevator started on its way down. As soon as we were inside and the doors were closed, I pressed myself close to Jigen, and we wrapped our arms and wings around each other.

"I missed you so much," I sobbed.

"It's been hell for me, too," he replied. "Believe me."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Prime Ruler Bethovich)

There was a red light blinking on and off in the room. The screen showed video feed of the battles taking place. I had removed the screen that showed HK-47's progress, or lack thereof. His utter defeat was a disappointment, but somehow I knew it would end this way. The angry male that fought with him was quite passionate. Despite the fact that he wore the image of a human man, I knew by the way he fought that he was a gargoyle. Perhaps, I thought, that he might have been Demona's lover come to rescue her.

My thought was interrupted when a sharp pain overcame my shoulder. This pain told me that Demona's arm was set back in place from where she had dislocated it. I smiled, knowing that the only way for that to be possible was if someone had entered the prison and done so. After a moment, the pain was eased, and I could return to my thoughts.

"Your Excellency," announced the voice on the computer, "Sensors detecting breaches in the prison block."

The screen for the prison floor opened among the other screens. It was showing an infrared image of the same male entering the elevator with Demona and Reno.

"It is just as I thought," I replied, "They've come for Demona."

"Shall I change the current security settings to accommodate for these breaches?"

"No," I answered, "Just continue what you are doing. She will not leave the building. Knowing what she knows about me, I know for a fact that she will return."

I turned away from the console and began on my way to my office.

"And I will be waiting."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Jigen)

Gold and I were holding each other close the whole way down. I couldn't even begin to describe how happy I was. I was still having trouble believing that this was actually happening. That I'd actually found her, and that we were finally going to leave all this behind us. The only thing I planned on doing after this was over was to take Gold and leave this country. I held her closer with the thought that I never wanted to lose her again.

Then partway down the elevator, I heard my cloaker beeping. Gold looked down at it and then back up at me.

"Jigen," she said with a worried tone in her voice.

"It doesn't matter," I said. "Like I said, it hasn't been much help to us anyway. I still had to fight my way up. And I'm sure we'll be fighting all the way down."

When the beeping stopped, my cloak turned off, removing the human image from me and revealing my battle wound.

"Jigen, you're bleeding!" Gold said as she reached her talon up near my shoulder.

I grabbed her talon and put it to my chest.

"It's just a flesh wound," I said, "Don't worry about it."

She looked at me for a moment, and then leaned her head to my chest. She didn't say anything else the whole way down. She just pressed her face to my chest. I wrapped my wings around her and put my talon up to her head. I looked up and noticed Gold's cellmate, Reno, staring at us.

"What?" I asked, slightly annoyed.

"Nothin'," he replied, shaking his head and holding his hands up.

He turned away and stuck his hands in his pockets.

The elevator came to a sudden stop, and the doors opened in front of us, revealing the mess of broken pillars and the pile of scrap metal that used to be HK-47.

Reno walked out first. I wasn't far behind him. I stopped at the door when I noticed that Gold wasn't following. I looked back and saw her still standing at the back of the elevator, staring at me with those bright red eyes filled with tears.

"Hey, Gold," Reno called, "Get a move on."

"What's the matter?" I asked.

She walked up to me, and placed a talon on my face. She pulled me down and gave me a long kiss. When she was done, she looked me right in the eye.

"I have to go back," she sobbed.

"What do you mean you have to---? NO! HELL no!" I retorted and grabbed her wrist as soon as I realized what she meant. "You are NOT going back up there!"

"The Prime Ruler needs to be stopped," she explained, "He has plans for world domination."

"So he has plans. So what? That doesn't mean they'll work. How many people do you know that've actually conquered the world?"

"They never succeeded cuz they were mortal! We can't die, Jigen! The way things are now, he'll be free to take the world a little bit at a time, taking as long as he needs to take the world without the world ever knowing it. I can't let that happen! If I'm gonna stop him, I have to do it now!"

"And what are you gonna do, Gold? Kill him? I don't think so! I didn't come all the way up here just to lose you again!"

"So you know that part, too?"

"Yeah, I do! If you kill him, you die for real! I can't allow that, Gold! If you die tonight, then what was all of this for? Everything everyone has done here will be wasted! Some of them may die down there, and it'll all have been for nothing!"

I had to really struggle to keep my eyes from glowing. She didn't say anything. She just looked at me, practically crying her eyes out. She sobbed and leaned her head down on my chest. I let go of her wrist as she placed both talons on my chest. I was about to wrap my arms around her when she suddenly shoved me backwards.

I tried to regain my balance as she pushed the elevator button, but I just wasn't fast enough. I got there just as the doors were shutting.

"GOLD!" I yelled as I rammed into the door, barely denting it.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Reno)

"Gold!" Jigen yelled, and he hurried to get back up just as the elevator door finished shutting.

He got to the closed door and sunk his claws into the crack in the middle of the door. He strained and forced the door open just as the elevator rose out of sight. He stopped for a moment to wince in pain as the wound in his shoulder reopened. He growled for like a second before he jumped up into the elevator shaft and scrambled up out of sight.

I walked up to the opened elevator door and looked up the shaft. It was too dark for me to see anything, but sure was noisy up there.

"He really must care about her," I thought, "If he's going to that much trouble."

I looked around for a button or something that would stop the elevator Gold was in, but I didn't find anything. All I found were the down button for the other elevator and the handprint scanner. I pressed the down button and waited.

"Guess I'll just go down," I thought.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Markl)

"Thundaga!" The pink fey lady yelled as she shot a huge lightning bolt at us.

"Force Field Two!" I yelled and bounced her lightning back at her.

It hit her right on her forehead. She stood still for a moment, growling and holding her head like it was hurting. After a few seconds, she shook herself and pointed her hands at me again.

"Uh oh," I thought as Krypto started running again.

She shot a lot of fireballs at us one after another. Krypto was zigzagging all over the place, trying to dodge all of them. I was able to throw my own fireballs at some of them, but she was a lot faster than me.

"I gotta keep hitting her head," I thought, "It's her only weakness. But I can't bounce anything back if she's casting one spell after another like that."

Then I decided to try something different. As Krypto kept running, I slowly got my foot up on his back and jumped right into the air. I lifted my arms up into gliding position. I wasn't really old enough to glide yet, so I just floated down from where I jumped as she kept shooting at Krypto. When she noticed I wasn't on his back anymore, she turned around and pointed her hands at me.

"Bli--!" She started to yell, but then got tackled from behind by a big white beast.

"Krypto, get out of the way!" I yelled as I lifted my talons up, "Lightning!"

Krypto jumped as far as he could while I blasted a lightning bolt at her. I hit her head again. This time I noticed a lot of sparks coming from her headband while she was holding her head. After a few seconds, the sparks stopped and she got back up madder than ever.

"That headband," I thought. "That must be how they're controlling her."

Krypto came running back to me, and the fey lady glared down at me, eyes glowing a bright pink. Her hair was flowing up like a wind was blowing from underneath her, and I could see a storm of powerful magic swirling all around her.

"This isn't good," I said.

"Ultima!" She yelled.

The room suddenly got really dark. A huge surge of dark magic flew from around her and right towards me and Krypto.

"Force Field Three!" I yelled.

My shield came up just in time before the surge of magic plowed right into it. We were pushed all the way to the wall. I couldn't move while this surge kept pushing on me. All the while, I struggled to keep my focus up so my force field would stay up. If I lost my concentration for even one second, we'd both be done for.

It felt like it was going on forever. I looked down at Krypto, who was also pinned to the wall. I looked back up at the lady, and she didn't look like she was going to quit anytime soon. I was already feeling really tired from doing all this magic, and I knew that I wouldn't be able to keep going like that for much longer. I had to think of something fast.

"Force Field Three!" I yelled again.

I strained as my magic surged up to strengthen the Force Field. With that, I was able to start pushing back on her Ultima spell, but it still wasn't enough.

"One more time," I thought, "I just gotta do it one more time."

"Force Field..." I grunted, really straining at it, "Three! AH!"

It took all the magic I had. My shield practically exploded as it shot the Ultima spell in the other direction. It made a direct hit on its original caster.

It sent her flying and slammed her into the opposite wall. When it was finished and disappeared, she fell down to the floor, completely unconscious. I fell down to my knees almost as soon as the force field was gone.

"It's over," I said, panting from how tired I was, "I beat her."

Krypto came running up to me and nudged his snout under my arm to help me up.

"Thanks, Krypto," I said as I climbed back up onto his back. "Let's go see if she's alright."

Krypto ran over to the other side of the room and then carefully crept closer to her. The first thing I noticed was that she was in human form again, but with green hair instead of blonde. When I got close enough to see her, I noticed pieces of broken metal and cloth lying on the floor around her head. I picked up one of the metal pieces and looked at the small wires sticking out of the edges.

"This thing was a machine?" I asked myself. "Made of iron? She really must be third race if this is what they used to control her."

I looked up to the huge hole in the wall where the elevator shaft was, and then back down to her.

"Well, we can't just leave her here," I said as I jumped down from Krypto's back.

He made a whining noise as I bent down and grabbed hold of her arm.

"I'll be fine, Krypto," I said as I tried to pull her, "She needs help. I know she's not a bad person. They wouldn't have had to control her if she actually wanted to work with the Prime Ruler. I know you can't carry both of us, so you're just gonna have to carry her."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Reno)

I watched as each door whooshed by the front of the elevator. The door was missing, replaced by a very large hole. The thing looked like it was blown away from the outside.

"What the hell kind of fight are they dealing with here?" I thought, "This can't all be for Gold, can it?"

The elevator slowed to a stop, then I found out where the large hole was made. The door of this floor was blown away exactly like the elevator's, and the whole room looked like it was torn apart. After like a second of gawking at the battlefield, I realized the reason it stopped at this floor.

Standing in front of me was a very small purple gargoyle and a big white four-legged gargoyle carrying a green-haired girl on its back. The purple one just sort of stared at me as I stared back at him.

"Aren't you kinda small to be in such a big fight?" I asked.

"I'm big enough!" he retorted.

"Holy crap, you're a kid!" I replied when I heard what his voice sounded like. "You here to save Gold, too?"

"Yeah, is she alright?"

"Hell if I know. She was when I saw her earlier."

"Well, we have to get downstairs and help the others," he said as he and the large white thing got into the elevator.

He hit the button, and down we went.

"Geez," I thought, "Wish I had friends who cared this much about me."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Silverbolt)

The barrage of these robots seemed to never end. When one was slashed away, another would come to take its place and begin to shoot at us. Blackarachnia and I stayed close together as we fought, assisting each other when needed. I'd caught glimpses of Red and Boober here and there, and a few of Jake firing a military rifle. However, what I caught glimpses of most were the panicked expressions on the faces of the humans in the crowd crammed in the back of the shopping center, all of them unable to get to the elevator on the other side. They were especially frightened after the time on our cloakers ran out, when five humans became one human and four gargoyles.

"Where the hell do they keep coming from?!" I heard Red yell.

"This is ridiculous," I agreed as I continued slashing, "Blackarachnia, just how many of them are there?"

"To be honest, I don't really know," she said as another robot was slain, "The Swatbots were never part of my division. I was covert ops, not building security."

"Hey, mates!" Jake yelled from his side of the battle, "I think we've got 'em run down. I'm not seein' as many of 'em now. AH!"

"Jake!" I called as I slashed through the next Swatbot and ran to his aid.

"Just a flesh wound, mate," he said as he rose on his bleeding leg, "Behind you!"

I swerved around and threw one of my swords at the Swatbot behind me. The sword lodged itself deep into the Swatbot's chest plate. It sprayed sparks for a moment and then collapsed. Then I heard the sound of another Swatbot being torn to pieces directly to my right. I looked and saw that Blackarachnia had destroyed one that had its gun pointed at me.

"He's right," she said, "They're starting to dwindle down. I think we might be down to the last ones."

"That doesn't mean we should let our guard down," I said as I retrieved my sword and continued fighting, "Be ready for anything."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Mac)

After several minutes of running and stopping to rest, we finally arrived at the Prime Capitol Building. Vaala panted along behind me as we stopped in front of the building.

"At last," I said, "There it is."

Vaala panted away with her hands on her knees. I was panting a little from all the running, but not nearly as much as she was.

"Come off it, lass," I said, "I'm five times your age and not half as exhausted."

"Did you forget..." she panted, "That we're not... the same species? If I was your age in human years... I'd be dead a quarter of the way here."

"Agh! We've not the time for this," I replied as I started running to the doors, "You know where it is. I'm going ahead."

"Mac, wait!" she called and ran behind me.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Red)

It was pissing me off how endless it looked. One robot went down, and another would come up in its place. My legs and arms were starting to give out on me. I was getting really tired from running on all fours for so long, and then ontop of that fighting off each of the robots. I knew that I wouldn't be able to run and fight like that for much longer.

I swerved around the one robot that was shooting at me and rammed into it. I knocked the gun out of its hands and ripped it to pieces just before the next robot came up and started shooting at me.

"Where the hell do they keep coming from?!" I yelled, not really expecting an answer.

I couldn't help but wonder how Boober was doing. I hadn't heard or seen him at all the whole time this was going on. I didn't have time to think about it for very long because at this point, I had two robots pointing their guns at me.

I started to run in between them, but then I felt a huge sting in my right arm, causing me to tumble several yards until I was right in between the two robots I was running to. I tried to get up so I could run out of the way, but my arm hurt so much I couldn't move.

"This is it..." I thought as I braced myself for the coming gunfire. "Dammit."

"Red!" I heard Boober yell as he leapt through the air and grabbed me, carrying me the rest of the way across between the two robots and causing them to shoot each other and blow up.

We tumbled across the floor and skidded to a stop by the door of a nearby shop, where a lot of scared humans were hiding from the fight. Boober stayed hovering over me as I slowly sat back up.

"Red," he said, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," I replied.

"Good," he said with a smile just before a look of shock overcame him, "NGH!"

"Boober!" I yelled as he collapsed ontop of me.

I used my good arm to turn him over on his back, and right then I noticed a big red splotch on his shirt over his chest.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Silverbolt)

I sliced apart the last of the Swatbots, and at last I was able to rest. My fur and feathers were drenched in sweat and blood from the few minor wounds I received. I looked to Blackarachnia, who had just finished with her part of the fight.

"I think we won," I said.

"We won this fight anyway," she replied as she walked up to me. "You did good."

"As did you," I said as I carefully placed my talon on her face. "My lady."

"Hmp," she snickered, "You really are a sap."

"Don't celebrate just yet, mate," Jake said as he walked up, "We've still got two unaccounted for."

"Red and Boober," I replied.

"Oh shit! Boober!" I heard Red yell from somewhere across the plaza.

"That can't be good," Jake said as we all started running to where the yelling was coming from.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Red)

"Red..." he said, wincing in pain.

"Don't talk, you idiot!" I scolded as I tore his shirt and pressed down on his wound, "You're bleeding!"

"I..."

"I said don't talk!"

"I love you, Red."

"I know that! Now shut up!"

"Red!" Silverbolt called as he, Jake, and Blackarachnia ran up to us, "Oh, dear God."

"I'll try to find a medic who'll help us," Jake said as he ran off towards the crowd.

"I wouldn't count on it," Blackarachnia added after he was gone. "The way these people are, they'd rather see him dead."

"You shut the hell up!" I growled and glared my glowing eyes in her direction, "It's your fault all this happened!"

"Red, please!" Silverbolt retorted.

"Don't defend her, Silver!" I yelled and turned to him. "If she hadn't given away our location, Gold wouldn't have been caught and we wouldn't have had to come here!"

"Red..." Boober said.

"Boober! Shut up and save your strength!"

"Red, I chose to come here," he said. "This was my own fault. I wanted to protect you, and I did."

"Boober, what part of 'shut up' don't you get?!"

"Red, I have to say this. I might not get to after this."

"Don't talk like that! You're not dying! Don't you DARE die on me, Boober! I forbid it!"

He chuckled and then smiled at me.

"Okay, Red."

"Mac, if you hear me, say somethin' luv!" Jake yelled as he tapped at his ear.

"Any luck, Jake?" Silverbolt asked as Jake came back.

"None whatsoever, mate," he replied, "Not even so much as a first aid kit. They're too scared outta their wits to do anything useful. Now where the heck has she gone?"

"Mac isn't responding?"

"No. I guess the com-link's off the blink. It figures, when we need her assistance the most, she's not there. I'd suggest we get outta here fast, mate. Maybe go upstairs and give Jigen a hand."

"But we can't leave Boober here," Silver said. "Not like this."

"And moving him might make things worse," Blackarachnia added. "It's obvious that bullet didn't hit anything vital, or he'd be dead already. But if he's not treated soon, he could bleed to death."

"But if no one's willing to help us," Jake added, "We're pretty much up a creek."

"Boober..." I sobbed, tightening my press on his chest. "Please don't die. Stay alive for me."

He lifted his talon to mine, which was soaked in his blood. He looked up at me and smiled.

"Alright, Red," he said.

"Sunrise is still hours away, Red," Silverbolt said as he knelt down beside us.

"I don't care," I said, "I don't want him to die. That's why I didn't want him coming here."

He just looked at me for a long moment after that. I couldn't stand the way he was looking at me. I could tell he felt sorry for me, and I hated it. He finally stopped looking at me when we heard a noise coming from the elevator.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Mac)

"Mac!" Silverbolt called as we came running to where they all were. "We wondered where you went."

"Well, now you know," I replied, and then I saw Boober bleeding on the floor. "And it seems we've arrived just in time. Stand aside."

I reached into my pockets for my first aid tools. Red stepped aside as I knelt down and bandaged his shoulder.

"Mac..." Boober said to me as soon as he saw me.

"Shhh. Save your strength, lad," I said to him, "You'll need it to make it to sunrise."

"Heh, you really are a miracle worker."

"Nonsense, lad," I said as I finished tying a set of splints to his back, "There we go. The bleeding's stopped. So if you rest until sunrise, you should be fine."

"But given our current location, luv," Jake pointed out, "We foind ourselves in quite the dilemma. Leave him to rest, and he'll most loikely be killed. Move him to a safer location, and his wounds moight worsen along the way."

"We'll have to chance moving him," Silver replied, "We cannot leave him here."

"AGHH!" Boober screeched as Silverbolt lifted him to his feet, slung over Silver's shoulder.

I took this opportunity to tend to everyone else's wounds.

"Come on, mate," Jake said as I quickly patched his up, "You just survived getting a bullet in your chest. The rest should be downhill from here."

"Easy for you to say," Boober replied, "You didn't get shot anywhere that could've been vital."

"It's good that you came when you did, Mac," Silver said, "But I'm curious as to why you did."

"We came here looking for Markl and Krypto," Vaala explained for me.

Then there was a sound coming from the elevators. The military elevator opened, and I saw Markl emerge from it.

"Markl," I said as I ran to him.

He walked slowly towards me as I ran. When I got to him, I knelt down and wrapped my arms around him.

"Markl," I sobbed. "Thank goodness you're safe."

"I'm sorry, Mac," he said softly, "I didn't want to go against your wishes, but I knew I was needed."

"Aye, I know that, lad," I said as I let him go so I could look at him, "But you worried the bloody hell out of me."

"I didn't mean to worry you."

"What matters now is you're safe," I said and rose back to my feet.

Then I noticed the green-haired lass slung over Krypto's back.

"And who's that?" I asked.

"That's Terra," Blackarachnia answered and came up behind me, "She's a member of the third race that was enslaved by Professor Hojo."

"That's the one Oberon said was missing," Vaala said. "It really was her magic he sensed in Gold."

"How'd she get like this, kid?" Blackarachnia asked.

"She attacked us on the way up the elevator," Markl answered. "I had to fight her so Jigen could keep going."

"You FOUGHT Terra?" Blackarachnia replied, "And lived to tell about it?"

"I had to," he said, "If I didn't fight her, she would've killed Jigen right there in the elevator. It wasn't easy, either. She used some really powerful magic."

She stared at him for a moment, and then at Terra, and then back at him. The rest of us couldn't help but stare at him as well.

"Incredible," I thought, "That he's powerful enough to survive a fight with a fey."

"Wait a second," said a scrappy young male voice, "So the third race is real? And this chick's one of 'em?"

We looked up at the thin red-haired human who had just spoken. He seemed utterly perplexed at the lot of us.

"And who are you?" Silverbolt asked.

"Reno..." Boober said from where he hung on Silver and Jake's shoulders.

The lad looked over to Boober with a very confused look on his face.

"What are you doing here?" Boober asked.

He walked up to Boober, staring him right in the face. After a long pause, he tilted his head in confusion.

"Freddie?"

Boober made a face upon hearing his stage name.

"Holy crap," the man chuckled, "I knew I was right about you. Geez, what happened? You look like you went through hell."

"Okay, Spikey," Red burst in and shoved Reno away. "He just survived getting shot in the chest. I think it's time he stopped talking so he can rest."

"Wait," he said, "The one that came upstairs to rescue Gold. Jigen. Are you related?"

Boober only stared at him, not answering.

"You are, aren't you? I'll bet you're brothers. I thought he looked familiar. He looks just like you."

"Hey!" Red yelled and shoved him back further. "Back off! They're twins, if you really must know. If you're not here to help us get Gold out of here, then you get the hell out!"

"You're her clan, aren't you?" he asked and looked around to the rest of us, "All of you came for her."

Vaala walked up to him, an expression of deep concern on her face.

"Is she alright?" she asked.

He fell silent for a moment, looking back at Vaala. He took a deep breath.

"After Jigen got us out," he said, "She decided to go up to the Prime Ruler's office."

"WHAT?!" we all replied.

"That can't be right!" Silverbolt yelled, "Surely, Jigen wouldn't allow that to happen."

"She kinda shoved him backwards and went up before he could stop her. Then, he ripped the doors open and followed her up. I couldn't follow, so I went down instead."

"We have to stop her!" Vaala said, "We can't let her kill herself! Not when we've come all this way!"

"And how do you suggest we do that?" Red asked, "We're all the way down here, and she's all the way up there! By the time we get up there, we'll most likely be too late!"

"That doesn't mean we can't try," Markl said. "What if they need our help?"

"Ar!" Krypto agreed.

"It's worth a try, at the very least," Silverbolt said. "Jake, I know this is a lot to ask for with your wounds, but can you get Boober back to your apartment?"

"No," Boober replied, "I'm staying here."

"Don't be an idiot, Boober!" Red retorted, "You need to get to a safe place and rest until sunrise!"

"I'm part of the clan," he replied, "We're all here. If you're all going up, I'm going too."

"Are you absolutely certain you want to do this, lad?" I asked, "I highly recommend you go back with Jake and recover."

"I'm not going back," he insisted, "I'm staying here."

"Then it's settled," Silverbolt replied in a solemn tone.

"But what about Terra?" Markl asked, pointing to the unconscious fey.

"I'll take her back with me," Jake said as he walked over to her, "She can rest at my place until Oberon sees fit to retrieve her."

Krypto gently slipped her off his back as Jake took her in his arms.

"In all this fuss, Jake," I said, "I seem to have left my lab unattended. I'll need you to keep a close eye on everything until I return."

"No worries, luv," he replied with a wink, "Leave everything to me."

"We'd better hurry," Silverbolt said as he went to the elevator, "Before it's too late."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Reno)

I just watched as they all crammed into that elevator and went on their way up.

"It's amazing," said the Aussie after they were gone. "How they've all grown to care for each other so much after only living together a few months."

"So what's their deal, anyway? Jigen's already up there. Why do they all need to go up there and risk their asses for her?"

"You don't have a great many friends, do you, mate?"

He started walking to the downward elevator, carrying the green-haired fey in his arms. I caught up and walked with him.

"I have friends!" I retorted as he pressed the button.

"Not very good ones, apparently. I don't see anyone coming to your rescue."

The doors opened, and we stepped inside.

"They don't know I'm here! They probably think I'm still back home in Paradigm City."

"And I take it that's where you'll be going once we're out of here?"

"Yeah, I am. What's it to you?"

"Why don't you rest at my place tonoight? It's a long way to Paradoigm City. Once this is all over, everyone else will join us there."

"How do you know they'll make it out of this? The Prime Ruler didn't get to where he is by being helpless."

He looked at me and gave me a crooked Aussie grin.

"Neither did they, mate."

**(To Be Continued...)**


	35. Chapter 34: And Then

Gold Demona

**Chapter XXXIV**

And Then...

(Alexander Xanatos)

(At the United Nations...)(January 2111 A.D.)

"If you are quite finished, Mr. Xanatos," said one of the world leaders. "I think we've all had about enough of this mockery. Even if what you say about New Liberty and its Prime Ruler are true, we simply cannot consider taking action on words alone."

"I thought you would say that, sir," I replied, as my last witness appeared through the door, "I didn't want to have to bring this one forward. She's been through so much already, you see."

"Get on with it, Mr. Xanatos. One more testimony and we can all go home."

I turned around and watched as she slowly stepped through the crowd. We could all hear the rattle of her metallic joints and the heavy clanking of each footstep she took. I could hear several of the hardened world leaders behind me begin to gasp and whisper amongst themselves as she stepped up front for everyone to see. The bright young wingless female with robotic limbs. I held my hand up for her, and she took it.

"Are you ready, Bunnie?" I asked.

"Now more than evah, Sugah," she answered as I motioned her to the podium and stepped back.

I then looked back to the group to see the young French male gargoyle front and center in front of the crowd, Antoine D'Coolette, dressed in his finest military garb, standing firm and straight as a proper soldier should. I gave him a quick nod, and he smiled at me just before turning his gaze again to the female in front of him whom he loved so much.

She took hold of the podium in front of her and took a deep breath.

"There's not a whole lot Ah can tell ya that hasn't been said already," she said into the mike.

She paused for a moment, looking at her mechanical talon and then raising it for all to see.

"Except that Ah've experienced firsthand the kind of monstrous acts we're talkin' about here. The Hunters came to mah clan's home and smashed us while we were sleepin'. I don't know how I survived that. I woke up that night missin' more than half mah body. What Ah do know that if it weren't for those wonderful folks Mr. Xanatos had ovah there helpin' us, Ah wouldn't be here talkin' to ya right now. Ah considah mahself fortunate that we were found and rescued, because Ah know that there were so many ovah there that nevah got any help. If it's evidence ya want, then Ah suggest you take a good look at me. You can even take pictures if ya want. Ah'm willin' ta do whatevah it takes ta make sure no one else winds up sufferin' the same fate as me."

There was a long pause after that. She looked around at the esteemed men and women of the United Nations. They were all whispering amongst themselves, making pointing gestures as they spoke. I grinned, knowing that we'd finally hit a nerve somewhere. When they all finally finished their whispering, all of them looked to Bunnie.

"Is… that all you have to say, Miss?" One of them asked.

"Yes, Suh," she answered and bowed her head, "That's all Ah have to say."

She turned away from the podium and walked back to Antoine, who took her in his arm as they took their place back in the crowd. I turned again to the assembly of world leaders.

"Is this enough evidence to satisfy you, ladies and gentlemen of the esteemed United Nations?" I said as I took place my at the podium, "Or do I have to show you more?"

I could see every one of those faces grimacing at the thought.

"I'm sure we can all agree, Mr. Xanatos, that we've seen enough for tonight. We will review the case and take action accordingly."

"I'm sure you will," I replied. "Because it would be a shame if the general public were to find out about all this. Just imagine if they knew that something this bad was going on in New Liberty, and that the United Nations did absolutely nothing to stop it, despite having clear evidence of the inhumane crime that is being committed. With all the nasty press that's already out there, it would really be a shame to add something this big to your resume."

"You would take something like this to the press, Mr. Xanatos?"

"I'm not saying anything of the sort, Mr. President. I'm simply telling you that IF this went public, there could be some serious repercussions that would likely affect your careers, not to mention your reputations. This is history in the making. Your final decision on this matter will determine what the grade school history books will say about you."

"We've heard enough, Mr. Xanatos. We will meet again when we've made our decision."

"Of course," I replied with a bow, "I bid you all a good evening."

"Meeting adjourned!"

The leaders all rose form their seats and started to disappear out of the room. I turned around to see Inspector Zenigata looking right at me with the data disk in his talons.

"You look amazed, Inspector," I said to him as I took hold of the disk. "I think I'll take this. They'll need it when they 'review' our case."

"Hey, how the heck did you know I'd be here tonight?" he asked and let go of the disk. "I never told anyone about this."

"I have many contacts, Inspector," I answered, "Even some in Interpol. I knew they wouldn't do anything without any solid evidence, so I figured I'd come and offer my two cents."

"Sir, I think you've put in a lot more than just two cents," he replied.

"It would appear that I have. You don't mind, do you? I know this was kind of your thing."

"No, Sir. I've got no complaints. Anything to put that evil sleazy bastard in his place."

"Geez, Pops," Lupin said as he walked up, wearing a wide crooked grin on his face, "I know I can be called a lot of nasty things, but I certainly wouldn't call myself evil."

"Shut up, Lupin!" the Inspector growled, "The only reason I'm not cuffing you right now is because I'm not done with this case yet! And I wasn't talkin' about you anyway!"

"Heh heh heh, yeah, I know," he replied. "Lighten up. I just wanted to ask how Jigen was doing when you last saw him."

"He uh… Ng," he stuttered. "He's not in the best of states right now."

"Huh?" Lupin replied, "Whaddaya mean? Don't tell me that nice Gold Demona girl turned out to be just another two-timer?"

"No no, it's nothin' like that. He and Gold were real happy together. The story's really long and complicated, and it involves the Prime Ruler, and---"

"You can tell us on the way," I interrupted and turned to the crowd of gargoyles, "Everyone's welcome to stay with Owen and me at my place until we finish our case here. We've had a long night, and I think we could all use some rest."

They all nodded and followed me out. Lupin and the Inspector stayed beside me as we walked, and the Inspector began to tell his account of what happened to the group in Paradigm City, particularly the parts involving the Prime Ruler.

"I wasn't counting on this happening," I thought to myself as I listened to his story. "They weren't supposed to actually meet each other. We need to finish this fast so we can get them all out of there."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Gold Demona)

As I stood in the elevator, waiting for my floor, I could hear a loud metallic screeching noise coming from below me, followed by a series of fast banging noises that grew louder and louder.

"He's following me," I thought, knowing exactly what the noises were.

The banging kept getting closer and closer until finally there was one last banging outside the left-hand wall of the elevator. I watched as a set of claws pierced through the metal wall and pulled back to tear a large hole out of it. Big enough for a full-sized male gargoyle to climb through.

"Jigen..." I said to him as he made his way into the elevator walked up to me and grabbed my shoulders.

"Gold, just what the hell do you think you're doing?!" he growled.

"What the hell are YOU doing?" I yelled, "If you follow me up, you're gonna get killed!"

"If it'll stop you from killing yourself, then so be it."

"Jigen, I can't leave! I'm not gonna be able to live in peace knowing what he's up to! Knowing that at any moment, he'll set his plans in motion!"

"And I can't live in peace if you're not gonna be with me!"

"Jigen..."

"Don't you 'Jigen' me! I'm not losing you again!"

Our conversation was cut short when the elevator suddenly stopped. We waited and watched for the doors to open, but they didn't.

"Something's not right," he said, and then looked behind him to the hole in the elevator. "Gold!"

He grabbed me and pulled me close as I could feel several sharp stings pressing all around my body. I couldn't move without the pain getting worse. When I looked around, I saw what looked like several sword blades coming out of the walls. They stuck out just enough to sting us, but not enough to really hurt. I couldn't turn my head very much because one of the blades was right in between my horns. I pressed myself closer to Jigen and waited.

"I'm so sorry, Jigen," I cried.

"It's just as well," he grunted, "If you're gonna die, Gold, then I'm going with you."

"Jigen..."

"I knew you would come back for me, Demona," I heard the Prime Ruler say over the elevator's speaker just before the door finally opened.

I could see to the back of his office, which took up the entire floor. His large fancy desk was at the center of the room, lined up perfectly with the elevator. He stood beside it, with one hand on the corner and the other hand in his pants pocket. He looked right at us with narrowed eyes and a wide grin on his face.

"It is destiny that we would come together like this," he continued.

"I can't let you go free," I groaned, "Not after everything you told me."

"No, I don't suppose you can," he replied as he looked down at his desk and rubbed it with his hand, "However, you seem to have made a very dangerous mistake when you came up here."

"What?" I thought.

He pressed something on his desk, and then I heard the blades behind Jigen move a little.

"Ungh!" He winced and pressed me closer.

"JIGEN!" I yelled.

"Ooo, such pain," the Prime Ruler mocked, "You really should have thought more carefully about coming here."

"No, Jigen!"

"Gold, I'm fine..." he grunted, "It's still not... that deep. Don't let him... get to you."

"It's true, he's not dead," the Prime Ruler said as he walked right up to us. "For you see, unlike the MacBeth I was based on, I very much value my life. If I were to kill this male that you seem to cherish so deeply, I would only succeed in giving you more incentive to kill me. Instead, I have a proposal to which I'm fairly certain you will have no objections."

"I'm not making any deals with you," I growled.

"Now, now, Demona."

"Don't call me that," I hissed as my eyes flared up.

"Gold..." Jigen grunted.

"You are not in any sort of position to be making demands, Demona. If you do not wish to remain where you are, I'd suggest you listen to my proposal."

"Well, what're you waiting for?" I asked, "Get on with it, already."

He grinned at me. That long crooked grin and those confident bright red eyes. I couldn't stand it. It made my blood boil just looking at it.

"I am willing to allow your clan to leave this place right now," he said, "All of them. No further harm will come to them. I will even grant them safe passage from New Liberty. My only condition is that you, Demona, remain here with me."

I could feel Jigen's arms wrap tighter around me. I'm sure he would've had his wings around me too if they weren't pinned where they were by these blades. I could feel in his chest vibrating wildly as he growled with his eyes illuminating the underside of his hat.

"Of course," he continued, "If this lover of yours wishes to join you in your prison, I will have no objections. You can stay together in my custody for the remainder of his days."

I couldn't stand it anymore. I had to do something. I carefully reached my talon under Jigen's jacket and around behind his back.

"Gold, what're you doing?" he whispered.

"Getting you out of here," I whispered back as I found his gun holstered on his belt behind his back.

"No, Gold," he urged as he tried to move but couldn't. "Agh, dammit! Don't do it, Gold."

I carefully lifted his gun out of its holster, pulled back on the hammer, and pointed it at the Prime Ruler.

"There's no other way, Jigen."

"I await your response, Demona."

"Go to hell!" I snarled as I pulled the trigger and felt my arm get pushed in the opposite direction as it shot.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Jigen)

I could feel the bullet brush past my back as it flew through my jacket, and I watched as it hit the desk behind the Prime Ruler. Some of the machinery in it exploded, deactivating whatever it was that was holding the blades out. They all disappeared back into the wall, and Gold and I were finally able to move again.

I heard the sound of something heavy being dropped on the floor. I bent down and grabbed my gun before Gold could and pointed it at the Prime Ruler, who was just standing there as if nothing happened.

I stepped out of the elevator. I knew he wasn't going to let us go unless we took him down first, and I sure as hell didn't want Gold to do it.

"Be glad she missed, Prime Ruler," I growled and pulled the hammer back, "Cuz if I kill you, it won't be permanent. And I don't miss."

"Of course," he chuckled and then looked to Gold, "I take this to mean, Demona, that you refuse my proposal?"

"I'd rather die!" she hissed.

"It's a shame," he said and reached into his black trenchcoat. "I was hoping that we wouldn't have to do this the hard way, but it seems you leave me no choice."

He started pulling something out of it. I shot his hand before he could finish pulling it out, and I could see a small handgun drop to the floor. He paused for a moment and then quickly pulled out a larger one and shot my gun out of my talon and sending it skidding across the floor.

Gold jumped out of the elevator and started running towards him. He shot at her and hit her leg so she'd fall. Then he had to lean on the desk as his own leg was injured.

I took this opportunity and lunged at him myself, grabbing the hand with the gun in it and tackling him down. I had him on his back with both hands pinned down.

"I don't want to kill you," I said, "But if it means we get out of here alive, then that's what I'll do."

He gave me a wide toothy grin and laughed.

"You underestimate me, my friend," he laughed and kicked the side of his desk with his good leg.

Then all of a sudden I had two prongs in my side and a hell of a lot of electricity surging through my body. As I writhed, he rolled away from me and got up over me. When the shock finally stopped, I could barely move. I looked up at him as he pointed his gun at my head.

"Demona belongs to me," he said, "Thus is our destiny."

I heard a loud bang and braced myself for the sting I knew was coming. But when I didn't feel anything, I looked back up at him and saw blood pouring from a hole in his abdomen. He dropped his gun and fell to the floor. My gut wrenched as I watched it because I knew it could only mean one thing.

After he dropped, I looked back up and saw Gold standing behind him with an identical hole in her abdomen. She was holding my gun, and it was smoking at the barrel. She trembled all over as her blood flowed out of the wound.

"NO!" I yelled and ran over to her, catching her as she dropped the gun and started to fall.

"Gold!" I yelled as she hung, bleeding in my arms, "Gold, talk to me!"

She looked up at me, her face already looking tired.

"Jigen," she whispered.

"That was incredibly stupid, Gold!" I yelled, "You knew what would happen! Why did you do that?! Why?!"

"He was..." she said, pausing as she winced for a second, "...gonna kill you."

"My life's not worth saving, Gold," I said as my chest started to cramp up. I knew what was happening, and I knew that this time it would be permanent, and it was killing me to watch it happen, knowing that I couldn't do anything to stop it. "You're the only thing I have to live for. You're the only reason I'm here. Gold, you can't do this to me again. You can't die on me again!"

"I'm sorry... Jigen," she said as tears rolled down her face. "I had to do it. To... To stop him..."

"To stop him from taking over the world, I know! You told me!" I growled, "I don't care about any of that, Gold! All I ever wanted was for you to stay alive! Was that too much to ask?!"

I broke down at that moment. I couldn't hold it in anymore. I could feel tears sliding down the sides of my beak as I held her closer to me.

"You mean everything to me, Gold!" I sobbed, "I wanted to grow old with you! To wake up every night and see your beautiful face! I can't do this without you, Gold! Don't you understand that?!"

She wrapped her arms around me. It tore me up how weak her grip was.

"I'm sorry, Jigen," she said, her voice almost gone. "I love you."

"No, Gold," I sobbed. "No!"

She started making choking sounds, and then her body went limp in my arms.

"No..." I sobbed. "No, not again! Gold! GOLD!!!"

I looked down at her as her head hung limp. I brought my talon up and lifted her head up to me, a flood of tears flowing down my face.

"Gold," I said, my voice reduced down to little more than a whisper. "I can't do this anymore. I just can't."

I lowered her again, kissed her forehead, and gently put her down on the floor. I looked up and saw my Magnum lying beside us. I picked it up, looked at it for a moment, and pulled the hammer back. I looked over to the corpse that was once the Prime Ruler.

"I'll see you in Hell," I said as I pointed the gun to my head and pulled the trigger.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Vaala)

Somehow, we all managed to fit in these elevators as we went up. None of us said a word the whole way up.

We finally got to our floor and the doors opened. The first thing I noticed was Jigen's gun lying on the floor right by the elevator door with another smaller handgun lying next to it.

"SON OF A BITCH!" I heard Jigen yell as a third handgun skidded up beside it.

We looked up to see Jigen on his knees, throwing his head back, and letting out a monstrous roar. After the roar ended, he let his head drop in front of him and dropped his talons to the floor.

I froze right there. I stood there as everyone else ran in. Boober and Red ran to Jigen. Silverbolt and Blackarachnia went to the lifeless man behind him. Mac and Markl knelt down beside the pale yellow body not far from them. I slowly started making my way towards Mac and Markl.

Mac lifted Gold's wrist and held an ear down to Gold's chest. The look on her face said it all. She looked up at me, and then she closed her eyes and looked away.

"We're too late..." I sobbed and fell to my knees by the body of my roommate... my clanmate. "Gold."

"No," Markl whined, "There's gotta be something we can do."

"Thir's nohtin' aneh ohf ohs cahn do, lad," Mac said, "Whin one kells the othar, thir's noo cohmin bahck frohm eht."

"Well, isn't there like a loophole to this or somethin?!" Red yelled as she walked up, "I mean seriously! Prime Ruler Asshole gets killed so Gold has to die with him?! That's completely fucked up!"

"She's right!" Boober added, "There must be something about this spell that we're missing."

"Blackarachnia," Silverbolt said, "Is there anything else you haven't told us?"

"I wish there was," she said, "I really do. But I've told you everything I know. There's nothing we can do now."

"But it isn't fair," I said, starting to get annoyed by it, "Why should she have to die? It wasn't her wound! It wasn't her death! It was his! He should be the only one to die from it!"

"Then what do YOU suggest?" Blackarachnia retorted.

I looked away from her, and looked over to Markl.

"Markl, can't you do something with your magic?" I asked.

"I'm still recovering from when I fought Terra," he said, "But even if I was at full power, I can't do anything. The spell was cast in fey magic. Only fey magic can undo it."

"And Terra's out of commission," Blackarachnia added.

"So that's it, then..." I resigned and looked again at the pale body in front of me.

I leaned over her.

"So once again I couldn't to do anything useful," I thought to myself, clenching my fists and trying to hold back my tears, "Why the hell was I sent here?! All this time, I haven't done anything! I couldn't do anything! I couldn't!"

I clenched my teeth as a tear rolled down my cheek. It dripped off my chin and landed right on Gold's chest. Then a bright white light came out of nowhere and filled the room.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Who?)

I was in a beautiful place that was all white with gold-lined clouds and a thick mist that completely covered the ground. The landscape was all the same as far as I could see.

I looked down at myself and noticed that I was in gargoyle form, even though the lighting of this placed seemed to be in daytime.

"Where am I?" I asked.

"Welcome to the gates of Heaven, Gold Demona," called a deep voice from behind me in a light Scottish accent.

I turned around to see a human male standing behind me. He was slightly taller than me, with light gray hair and beard. He wore all black. Most notably a trenchcoat similar to the one the Prime Ruler wore.

"Who are you?" I asked, "And how do you know my name?"

"I've been watching you very carefully," he said, "I know all about you, Gold Demona, and I also know of the one you were mortally bound to. The abomination that was given my name."

"You're MacBeth," I realized out loud, "The real one."

He bowed his head in sort of a half-nod. And then I realized something else.

"So if you're here, then where's the real Demona?"

"She is where she is meant to be," he said, "I'm not entirely certain which of the two kingdoms she was sent to, although I could probably guess. The only thing I know for certain is that I am not allowed in either of them."

"And why is that?"

"Because my death was not my own," he said, "I killed Demona. And thus she died and was sent to wherever it was she went. The magic that bound us together forced me to die along with her. But since I did not die my own death, I cannot set foot into either Heaven or Hell. And I cannot go back to the land of the living. And so I remain here, forever teetering on the border between life and death."

"So we're stuck here."

"Correct."

I looked away for a moment so I could think. I remembered the clan I left behind. The long distance they traveled to get to the capital. The battle they fought at the Capitol Building as they came to rescue me. The look on Jigen's face as I lost consciousness. I could still see it so very clearly, and I couldn't get the image of it out of my head. My chest scrunched up and tears started welling up as I wondered whether or not I did the right thing.

"You left loved ones behind, didn't you?" MacBeth asked and put his hand on my shoulder.

"Tell me," I sobbed, "Was it the right thing?"

"Who am I to say what is right and what is wrong? Much of my life was spent trying to kill Demona. And I'm ashamed to say that I've killed a great many gargoyles in the many centuries that make up my life, all for the sake of getting to her. I don't suppose that's any better than the measures the Prime Ruler took to find you."

"But was it right for me to do what I did? To end the lives of two people that shouldn't have even existed to begin with."

"Who's to say your existence should not have been? You think that just because you were pieced together in a laboratory, it makes you an artificial person? A soulless doll placed on the earth for the soul purpose of satisfying one man's need to play God? Look at what has happened. The fact that you're here proves that you are a real person. A real person with a real soul. The last question of your existence is finally answered."

"For all the good that information does me right now. It's not like I can go back."

Then I heard a faint familiar voice call from the distance.

"Gold?" It called.

"What's that?" I asked, listening carefully to the voice in the distance.

"Gold!" It repeated, this time sounding closer.

"It seems to me you're being given a second chance, Gold Demona," MacBeth replied.

"A second chance?"

"Gold!"

"I suggest you take it," he said and started moving away. "Quickly."

"Wait, what about you?"

"My fate was decided long before you were born," he said as he disappeared, "And my fate is to stay here. You must go quickly now, so that the next time you come here, you don't end up staying here with me. And hopefully, that time will be long in coming."

"MacBeth!"

"Gold!" the other voice yelled.

I turned to where it was coming from. A familiar human came running up from the mist and stopped in front of me.

"Vaala!" I greeted. "What're you doing here?"

"The weirdest thing happened," she said, "I can't really explain it. One minute I was in the Prime Ruler's office with everyone else. And then this light came out of nowhere, and I ended up here. I don't know how, but I knew I'd find you here. And I know I can bring you back."

"But I'm dead! I've been dead for a while now! How can I go back?"

"It's only been a few minutes. I can still get you back. But for that to work, we have to go now."

"Alright," I replied as she grabbed both my talons and held them up between us.

She started chanting something to herself, and while she did, I looked back to where MacBeth had disappeared. There wasn't any sign of him anywhere, but I smiled.

"Thanks, MacBeth," I thought as we were both overcome with a bright white light.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Vaala)

I woke up down on the floor and lying on my back. I slowly sat up to find eight worried gargoyle faces staring at me.

"What?" I asked, wondering why they were staring.

"You just suddenly lost consciousness," Silverbolt asked. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," I said.

"Fine?" Red repeated, "You drop off for no reason and you say you're fine?"

"You didn't see the light?"

"We didn't see anything," Boober answered.

"Jost you collahpsin' on tohp of Goold," Mac added.

"Gold," I said and turned my gaze down to the still lifeless body lying beside me.

I scooted myself over and sat down beside her, watching closely. I watched and watched, but nothing happened.

"It didn't work," I thought and hung my head. "I couldn't bring her back."

I reached down and picked up her talon. Then a spark passed between us like a static shock. I could feel a surge flowing through my hands and into Gold. It was a warm and frantic feeling that at the same time felt comfortable and familiar to me. When it was done, the body in front of me just burst into consciousness and immediately sat straight up.

"Gold!" I yelled in shocked.

She looked at me, a surprised look on her face as well.

"For a minute there, I thought you left me behind," she said.

"I thought I did, too," I chuckled, tears of joy starting to roll down my face.

"GOLD!" Jigen cried as he practically tackled her with his embrace.

"Jigen!" She replied and returned the embrace.

"Don't you ever do that to me again, Gold!" he growled, "Ever!"

"I promise!" she sobbed. "Jigen, I'm never leaving you again!"

"You'd better not."

I cried as I watched. I was so happy, I couldn't contain it anymore. I jumped over and joined their embrace. Then I felt more arms and talons around us as everyone else joined in. After a while I looked over just a few feet away, where the body of the Prime Ruler still stayed, not moving.

"I did it," I thought. "I actually did it. I wish my grandpa could've seen this."


	36. Epilogue

Gold Demona

**Gold Demona**

Epilogue

(Alexander Xanatos)

(Some time later...) (2111 A.D.)

It was a happy night for all of us when the U.N. made their call to mount a strike against the Prime Ruler of New Liberty. Oddly enough, there wasn't any resistance when they got to the border. When they reached the capital, they found out why. Prime Ruler Goldari Macaro Bethovich was found dead in his office, shot through the chest with a three-fifty-seven-caliber bullet. No one had dared go up there since the gargoyle attack on the building the other night. All of the Prime Ruler's council were either dead or missing.

Upon closer inspection of the capitol building's computer files, it was revealed that not only was the Prime Ruler ordering the slaughters of gargoyles, but he was also employing the use of superscience to create soldiers for this cause.

The people of New Liberty were more frightened of these turns of events than of the very creatures they came here to escape from. The people that were inside the building during the attack were particularly confused. They witnessed firsthand examples of loyalty, love, and kinship amongst the gargoyles that so valiantly fought for their lives in that building. Many refused interviews from the press, but those that took the mike recounted the evening in detail. Some said they were beginning to think that maybe, just maybe, it wasn't right to have done what they did.

Of course, there were still many who hated gargoyles, but at least now there was a lot more insight in the general population of New Liberty.

It took several days to clean up the mess in the building. It took even longer to repair the damage to the storefronts, elevators, and support pillars.

With the help of the United Nations, the people of New Liberty were able to elect themselves a new leader, this one a good and just man of proper values and good character. At least, as good a man as one can get out of a politician.

The gargoyles that attacked the capitol building had all disappeared. All of them. They returned to Jake's apartment and received a huge welcome, especially the one they had worked so hard to rescue, Gold Demona.

Terra eventually regained consciousness. She woke up with no recollection of anything that happened while she was in Professor Hojo's custody. She didn't remember the Prime Ruler or his council or any of the things they made her do while she was under their control. She barely remembered her own name and what she was. It's just as well she didn't remember what happened. She was way too young to have to carry that kind of weight on her conscience. She went back to Avalon, much to Oberon's joy.

Reno stuck around for a little while before heading back to Paradigm City. Imagine the exasperated looks on his partners' faces when he told them where he'd been and what had happened to him. Who would believe that he was locked in a dungeon high in the Prime Ruler's capitol building with a girl that was human by day and gargoyle by night?

The Crimson Pig Express and the Rescuers' Railway, having finished their job, were dismissed. They all went back to their own homes and continued with their lives as if nothing happened. All that is, except the clan that was stationed in Paradigm City.

Many of them didn't have homes to go to, having lost their original clans. And they couldn't go back to the apartment they lived in before since the Hunters ransacked it. So they went their separate ways to find their own place.

Silverbolt took Blackarachnia to Nottingham, so she could see the city he hatched and grew up in.

Boober and Red rejoined their band, Fraggle Rock, finally complete and together again. They recorded their first reunion album featuring Boober as they're long lost lead singer. The album hit platinum in the first few months.

Jigen took Gold on that world tour he promised her. They saw the world and everything in it.

Mac went back to her university in Glasgow, and took Markl and Krypto with her. There, she legally adopted Markl and became his legal guardian.

Vaala came back home to Manhattan, greeted by many happy gargoyles. Of course, she was really happy to be home, but I could tell something wasn't at all right with her. She wasn't the same cheery girl that I'd sent away almost a year ago. And I had a pretty good idea what it was that was troubling her. So I didn't hesitate to start taking action on it.

I was in my office, sorting through some papers when Vaala walked in.

"Hey, Grandpa," she greeted, "What're you doing?"

"Just looking at some real estate," I said, "I'm trying to help a friend who needs a house for her small family of gargoyles."

"Oh," she said.

"Something I can help you with, pumpkin?"

"Well, there's just been a lot of questions going through my mind lately since I got back from New Liberty."

"Like what?"

"Like at Christmas, when you sent us all those presents."

"Did everyone like them?"

"Well, yeah, they did. But I'm just curious. How did you know all their names? And what they'd like?"

"I've got eyes and ears in strange places, Vaala. Many of the fey variety."

"Is that how you found Gold? To send her to New Liberty?"

"I found Gold long before I ever thought to send anyone to New Liberty. In fact, I originally didn't have any intention of sending her to New Liberty, especially knowing her connections with the Prime Ruler."

"Wait, you knew the whole damn time?!" she blurted, "And you didn't say anything?!"

"Calm down! I never told her about it because I didn't want her to freak out about it. I mean wouldn't you freak out if you found out you were part of a madman's science project?"

"That doesn't mean she didn't have a right to know!"

"She knows now, doesn't she?"

"Yeah, and she almost killed herself!"

"But! She's not dead, is she?" I pointed out, holding my pointer finger up, and then going back to my real estate. "Everyone's fine. So why worry about it?"

She stayed quiet for a while as I flipped through house after house. She stared at me for a long while before finally speaking again. This time back to her calm tone.

"So how'd you find out about it? Her link to the Prime Ruler I mean?"

"Well, it was twenty-six and a half years ago," I started, "I was in New Liberty on business, back when it was still a state. Owen and I felt a strange magical vibe in the area, so we followed it to see where we ended up. I wound up in a laboratory belonging to a man by the name of Hojo. I looked up and found two large tubes. One had a small human male baby, and one had a brightly colored gargoyle egg in it.

"I was fortunate enough that the man at the brains of this experiment wasn't home at the moment, so I took the liberty of reading up on what he was up to. I knew he wouldn't be long in coming back, so I had to be quick. I discovered who the two small creatures were, their connection to each other, Hojo's eventual plans for them, as well as all the other creations on the mad scientist's roster. That's how I knew about Blackarachnia. She was still quite young when these two were created.

"Anyway, I couldn't just stand there and let this plan succeed. I also knew I couldn't take more than one child at the same time; otherwise I would've taken both of them out of there. So I did the next best thing. I picked one and left. I'm sure you can guess which one I took."

"The egg? Gold's egg?"

"Bingo."

"Is that when she was dropped off at that orphanage in California?"

"Yeah, that's about when it happened. I had to drop her off someplace safe and very far away from New Liberty. So I went to Los Angeles. I knew of a charming little orphanage there with five very charming women I knew I could count on to take care of her. So I put the egg in a nice little basket, placed a note on it, and left the basket at the orphanage doorstep."

"What did the note say?"

"Oh it's been a while, but I think it was something like this:"

_The child in this egg is very special. Her name is Gold Demona, and she will hatch fairly soon. Keep her hidden and safe until she can care for herself._

_Signed,_

_Her Guardian Angel_

"Guardian angel?" Vaala chuckled. "Geez, grandpa. I didn't figure you to be the sappy type."

"I thought it was fitting. And it worked. They took care of her, and nobody else ever knew she was there. Well, except maybe a couple of kids here and there, but that's a story for another day."

"So what made you decide to send her to New Liberty?"

"Mostly to get her out of that orphanage. And partly to give the two of you the chance to meet each other and make friends."

"Yeah, A lot of good that does us now," she groaned. "Who knows where she and Jigen are right now?"

"Egypt, I believe."

"Mr. Xanatos," Owen called as he entered the room.

"Yes, Owen," I replied.

"The visitors you were expecting tonight have arrived. Shall I send them in here, Sir?"

"Excellent," I waved to him, "Yes, Owen, send them in right now."

"Yes, Sir."

"Who is it, Grandpa?" Vaala asked as Owen left the room.

"It's the friend I told you about," I answered, "The one with the small family of gargoyles."

I looked up at her, and she had her eyes and head tilted downward and away from me.

"You alright?" I asked.

Slowly, she looked back up at me.

"I miss them, Grandpa," she said.

"I know, Sweety," I smiled. "Maybe helping me find a home for my friend's clan will help you feel better."

"Alright."

She walked up and leaned down over the desk in front of me.

"So," she started as she looked down at my real estate papers, "Who are they?"

"Just one of the clans from New Liberty. I'm pretty sure you'll remember them."

"Ah'd bittar hope ye do," said my guest in a thick Scottish accent as she entered the room.

Vaala turned around to see Mac walking up behind her with Markl and Krypto running up ahead, who practically tackled her as they ran up.

"Mac!" she greeted.

"Vaala!" Markl greeted as he and Krypto plowed into her.

"Markl!" she laughed after Krypto knocked her on her butt and started licking her face. "Krypto, cut it out! Down boy!"

"Glad you could make it, Mac," I said to her, "Have you heard from the others?"

"Evrehone weth theh ixciption ohf Goold ahnd Jeggen," she answered, "Lahst Ah hird, theh jost lift Ehgypt, heddin far Frahnce."

"Ah, so he's finally gonna get around to popping the question, eh?"

"Aye, eht would sehm soo."

"Wait, you've been in contact with everyone?" Vaala asked me as she got up from Krypto's tackle.

"Ye alriddeh knoo weh war close frinds, lass," Mac replied, pointing to herself and me. "Ahnd weth evrehthen weh've ohl behn through, ye thenk weh wouldn't kehp ehn tohch weth evrehone?"

"We're a clan, aren't we?" Markl added.

"Arr! Arr!" Krypto agreed, vigorously wagging his tail.

"Wait," Vaala said and then turned to me, "So if Mac's the friend you're trying to help, then the clan you're finding the house for..."

"Is yours," I finished her sentence with a grin.

Slowly, the smile on her face grew wider and wider. When it couldn't get any wider, she leapt and wrapped her arms around an unsuspecting Mac, practically scaring the wits out of her. When Mac regained her composure, she returned the hug just before Vaala let go and bolted around the desk and wrapped her arms around me.

"Thank you, Grandpa," she whispered, though it was only because her emotions had compromised her vocal ability.

"It was all for you, Pumpkin," I replied and returned the hug. "It was all for you."

"I hope we aren't interrupting," called a deep voice as two more figures entered the room.

Vaala let go of me and ran to hug Silverbolt before he could arrive at the desk, with Blackarachnia walking beside him.

"I've missed you guys so much!"

"We all feel the same way," he replied, "That's why we're here now."

"Never thought I'd get to see the inside of the famous Eyrie Building of Xanatos Enterprises," Blackarachnia said.

"Bet you also never thought you'd get away from the Prime Ruler's shadow," another familiar voice rang out as another two figures walked in.

"Red!" Vaala called to them as she went and handed them their hugs, "Boober!"

"I thought you were recording with your band," Silverbolt said.

"We finished up early," Red replied. "Once the album hits stores, we're taking a break for a couple years. So we figured we'd stick around with you guys."

"And your clan leader doesn't mind you living with us instead of them?" Markl asked.

"Not at all," Boober said, "He was very supportive. What was it that Cantus said, Red?"

"Oh please!" she groaned and rolled her eyes, "You're actually gonna make me quote that old hippie? Ugh, alright. 'Your home is here, and your home is there. One or the other, both is where you belong. Where your heart goes, you'll go. That is where you'll stay.'"

"Wow, you actually remembered all that?" Vaala asked.

"I learned to memorize what he says so I can go find somebody to translate it for me later! The guy talks in riddles all the time, and he can somehow lead a clan talking that way!"

"Where are Jigen and Gold?" Boober asked.

"They'll join you when they're ready," I answered, "According to Mac, they're going to France."

"Good," Red replied, "Let them take all the time they want. Do we have a house yet?"

"That's what we were just deciding," I said as I pushed the real estate papers forward. "Take a look."

Mac and Silverbolt were the first to step up to them.

"This one looks good," he said as he picked up one of the papers.

Mac looked at it and nodded.

"Aye, thaht's a nice one. Thes room cahn hoose ma lahb. Ahnd the othar two for Vahlah ahnd Goold."

"Hey, it says it's close to a magic school!" Markl said as he pointed to the page they were holding. "And it has a big back yard!"

"A sturdy structure and a solid foundation," Blackarachnia added.

"Hey, Boober!" Red mocked as she looked at it, "The place comes with its own clothesline!"

"Oh stop it," he replied, "It looks like it's in a good, quiet neighborhood."

"Where we can all just be ourselves," Vaala said, "Together and happy."

"Like a clan should be," I said, looking up at the satisfied faces looking at that piece of paper, "So I take it the choice is unanimous."

"I guess it is, Grandpa," Vaala giggled as she took the sheet in her hands and looked around at her clanmates.

She then looked at me and handed me the page.

"We want this one."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Two Week's Later...)

(Vaala)

Grandpa, with his seemingly infinite resources, managed to get the deal done almost instantly, and we were able to start moving in immediately.

We'd just finished moving in, and it wasn't too long until sunrise. We'd just turned off our new TV and were just getting ready for everyone to go to sleep. Silverbolt was just opening the door that opened to the stairway that led to the roof. Then there was a knock on the door.

I went and opened, and there on the porch stood Jigen and Gold.

"Hey!" I greeted, "We were wondering if you were gonna show up! It's almost sunrise!"

"We were kinda delayed," Jigen replied, rubbing his talon on Gold's arm and shoulder, and that's when I saw the dreary look on her somewhat off-colored face.

"What happened?" I asked and let them in.

"I've been puking for the last three days," she groaned as she hobbled past me. "I need to see Mac."

"Here," I said as I guided her to the lab.

I let her in, shut the door, and rejoined the reunion.

"Jigen!" Boober called as he ran up and hugged his twin brother.

"Hey, Boober," he greeted back.

"So!" Red started as she walked up, "What'd you do to her this time?"

"I didn't do anything," Jigen protested. "She just got sick out of nowhere."

"It was probably something she ate," Blackarachnia suggested.

"She wouldn't still be sick if that was the case," Silverbolt added.

"Could it be some kind of stomach flu?" Markl asked.

"Maybe," I replied.

After several minutes of waiting, Gold finally emerged from the lab. She was white as a ghost, eyes wide, and lips quivering.

"Gold," Jigen said, "What is it?"

She didn't even look up at him.

"I need to be alone for a while," she said and then looked at me, "Vaala, which room is mine?"

"Um, I'll take you there," I replied as I walked over and guided here there.

"Gold?" Jigen said again. When Gold again didn't respond, he ran straight to the lab.

We got to her room, and I let her in. But before she could shut the door behind her, I stopped it, and she looked up at me.

"What happened?" I asked quietly.

She looked at me for a moment, almost crying. Then she leaned closer to me and whispered.

"Vaala," she quivered, "I'm scared."

"Why?" I replied, "What is it? What's wrong?"

"I..." she paused, "I'm..."

"She's WHAT?!" I heard Jigen shriek from inside the lab.

I could hear the lab door open. I sprinted over to see what was happening. I saw Jigen walking out of the lab with a cigar in his beak and a wide-eyed, dumbfounded look on his pale face. Mac was right behind him, patting him on the shoulder.

"Breathe ohn thes a while, lad," she said, "Ye cahn cohm bahck tanight night fer a drenk ehf ye want."

"I might need it," he said.

"What's going on, Jigen?" Boober asked.

"Boober, don't you see the cigar?" Red jittered in excitement, "Don't you know what that means?"

"Jigen, is she?" Silverbolt asked.

"Wait," Boober said, "You don't mean she's..."

"That's not possible, is it?" Blackarachnia asked.

"What's not possible?" Markl asked, "What's wrong with Gold?"

"Nothing's wrong with her," Jigen answered, "She... I..."

"Ah thenk weh cahn contenue thes descohshun tanight," Mac interrupted and pointed to her watch. "Sonrise ehs apohn ohs. Ahnd Ah'm sure You'd like ta slehp ohn thes."

"Yeah," Jigen replied, "Sleep. Great."

"This way," Silverbolt said as he again opened the stairway door to the roof.

They all went up except for Mac, who stayed at her lab door. Gold walked up behind me, and Mac looked to her as she came in.

"Weh'll git through thes, lass," she said, "Wi're ohll here for ye."

"Yeah," she nodded, "I know."

"Thes ehs a good theng," she added, "Ahnd a meracle aht thaht. Ye should rehjoice."

"Maybe later," Gold said, "When I'm done freaking out?"

"Aye, ohf carse. Ah'll see ye tanight, than?"

"Yeah."

"See you later, Mac," I said.

She nodded and shut the lab door. We went up to the roof, where everyone was taking position on the roof. Jigen turned around as we got there and walked up to Gold.

"I don't know if I'm ready for this," he said, the cigar still hanging from his beak.

"Me neither," she replied, and then took the cigar from his beak. "You can smoke that later."

"Heh," he chuckled nervously and placed his talons on her shoulders. "Right. I'll see you tonight."

"Yeah," she replied, "I love you."

"I love you, too."

He bent down and kissed her for a moment before taking his place with the others. The sun slowly went up. And for the first time ever, we got to watch the sunrise as our clan was frozen in stone for the day, bathing in the daylight sun in their new home. I then turned to Gold as she finished changing forms. The whole time, she never took her eyes off Jigen.

"So," I started, having figured out what was happening, "You're pregnant, huh?"

"Yeah," she said and finally looked at me, "Vaala, I don't think I can do this. You saw the look on his face."

"Hey," I said to her and put my arm on her shoulders as we made our way back downstairs, "Don't worry. You've got all of us here, remember? Whatever happens, we're all here for you. We'll go through this together. As a clan."

That got a smile on her face. The tension in her shoulder muscles didn't lessen very much, but it was better than nothing.

"Our clan," she repeated. "In our new home."

"Yeah," I replied as we went inside, "Welcome home, Gold."

**THE END**

* * *

Author's Note: Thank you for reading "Gold Demona". =)

I know it was a really long read, and I'm sure you're glad it's finally over. =P

In case you didn't already know, with the exception of Gold Demona, Vaala Marsaille, and Prime Ruler Bethovich, every single named character in this fic was taken from some other fandom.

If there are any characters of which you are curious as to where they came from, or if you just want to see all my references, check out the link to my Cheat Sheet up on the "About Me" section of my main profile page. =)

Again, thank you for reading. ^_^


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